MERCHANT Retail, owners of The Perfume Shop and Joplings department stores, has reported a profits rise for the fourth year in succession.
Pre-tax profits for the year to March 31, went up 31 per cent to £10.63m, up from the £8.1m recorded in the previous year.
Among the star performers for the group was the Joplings department store in Sunderland, which continued to trade well despite the added competition of Debenhams in the city.
Philip Newton, chief executive of Merchant, said: "The team in Sunderland have planned and delivered to the highest level. It showed continued like-for-like sales growth despite Debenhams opening last year."
The department store division saw pre-tax profits rise 18 per cent.
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