A recent report in The Times that Dunelm had enjoyed strong trading over Christmas and was on course to report a healthy increase in annual profit attracted some intrigued online comments from readers.
How, one asked, could this retailer be shaking off the malaise that has gripped other traders, particularly when it has to bear the high cost of a bricks-and-mortar estate? Amid the musings came an observation: “Simple — they sell stuff that people need. Goods are of an acceptable quality and price.”
Dunelm has been among the most resilient of the retailers, many of which have been pummelled into profit warnings and store closures as a result of the rise of online shopping and against a backdrop of weak consumer confidence. Could its