A UK flooring retailer says it is on course for a record-breaking year following a string of new store openings and increased online demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Flooring Superstore, which has stores in Bristol, Swindon and Newton Abbot in the South West, is defying the gloomy retail environment.
The retailer saw its turnover increase by 35 per cent in the last year - to more than £35million - and it said it expected it to rise further in 2020/21.
The growth, it said, had led to more than 80 jobs being created in 2020 alone, with the majority during the peak of the first Government lockdown.
Flooring Superstore, which only began opening physical stores in 2017, now employs more than 250 people nationally and has 23 outlets across the UK.
Chris Barber, Flooring Superstore’s chief retail officer, said: “With a few months left, 2020 is on course to be the most profitable and successful year in our history.
“Despite the pandemic, we have pressed on with our strategic bricks and mortar store opening programme and even when the stores have been closed during lockdown, we had the e-commerce side of the business to fall back on, and this has never been busier.
“People have used this year to concentrate on home improvements, so our online flooring sales have increased dramatically. Being reactive to the buying trend and having a strong online platform has allowed us to gain a bigger market share.
“Opening more stores puts us in an even stronger position, especially as we are able to offer our online pricing across the board.
“And this has a positive impact on jobs, with the vast majority of new colleagues starting with us during the height of the pandemic.
“So, as we move into 2021 and with more store openings and new products planned, and with the effects of the pandemic hopefully easing next year, the future looks bright for our Flooring Superstore brand.”
