Satisfaction lifts Flying Brands Christmas trade

A FALL in the number of complaints helped Flying Brands, the Jersey-based mail order company backed by Sir Tom Hunter, to yesterday post a “significant” improvement in its Christmas trading.

The Aim-quoted firm said complaints in its flowers division fell to below 2 per cent over the festive period, its “best performance for several years”.

Higher margins, lower marketing costs and fewer refunds mean management expects the flowers division to make a significantly higher contribution to its full-year results.

But the lower marketing costs meant that the division’s sales fell year-on-year during the final quarter of last year, down to £3.3 million from about £4.5m.

The “very mild weather” took a bite out of revenues at the group’s Garden Bird Supplies business, which fell to £640,000 from £910,000.

Meanwhile, turnover at its Listen2 audio books arm dipped in line with managers’ expectations to £350,000 from £460,000. The Gardening Direct business bloomed though, with sales rising to £340,000 from £320,000, beating forecasts.

Flying Brands said it remained in talks that could lead to the sale of some of its businesses and that it would update investors in due course. Hunter holds a 29 per cent stake in the business.