French don’t B&Q it

TRADE-FOCUSED Screwfix failed to prevent a hammering for owner Kingfisher yesterday after weak sales at its French operations.

The B&Q operator suffered a 0.6 per cent drop in firstquarter group same-store sales but French businesses Castorama and Brico Depot were down 4.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent.

Screwfix outlets open for at least a year were up 12.6 per cent, while B&Q’s takings edged up 0.5 per cent.

Boss Veronique Laury blamed “disruption as we clear old ranges” at B&Q.

Shares fell 25¼p to 334p.