REVAMPED stores on London's Oxford Street and in Guildford helped boost sales at House of Fraser over the Christmas period, the department stores group claimed yesterday.

In the seven weeks to January 6, the group, which includes House of Fraser, Army & Navy and Dickens & Jones, saw total sales rise by 4.5 per cent.

This compares with ten per cent growth last year, but was a good performance because last year sales were fuelled by a shopping frenzy in the run-up to the new millennium, said the group.

Finance director David Adams said fashion sales had been the key to this year's trading, with womenswear doing particularly well.

Like-for-like sales also grew by 4.5 per cent as the group did not open or close any stores this year.

This compared with afive per cent like-for-like increase in the same period of last year.

"Private label products have done well and branded products also did well," said Mr Adams.

The refurbishment of House of Fraser's DH Evans store on Oxford Street, now renamed House of Fraser, and its Army & Navy in Guildford, also rebranded House of Fraser, had paid dividends.

Both stores had traded strongly since they had reopened, said Mr Adams

Gross margins were in line with last year and both the full and half-year stage, the group added.

For the 23 weeks to January 6, like-for-likes were ahead six per cent.