Catching up after a hot summer

Wyevale, the garden centre chain, increased group sales in the recently completed financial year by 7.7 per cent over 2002. The growth rate came to 6.5 per cent in the second half of the year, which resulted in a like-for-like increase of 3.6 per cent. The fourth quarter is first and foremost responsible for the good half-year figures, providing sales up by 7.9 per cent and 5.7 per cent in like-for-like terms. According to information from the company, product categories like garden furniture and barbecues did actually go well, but the hot summer had an adverse affect on the sale of plants. Like-for-like sales were down by one per cent.