Growth virtually at a standstill at Wickes

The Wickes DIY business arm of British building materials retailer Travis Perkins recorded a 0.3 per cent increase in sales in the first five months of the current year compared with the same period last year. Like-for-like sales fell 1.7 per cent. Although sales in the kitchens and bathrooms product group increased 12.6 per cent, core ranges experienced a downturn of 5.1 per cent.