BRIGHTEN UP WITH PROFITS

Shoppers looking for “colour and humour” to lift the post-Brexit economic blues have helped sales dazzle at Joules.

The upmarket clothes retailer said the use of colour, floral and leopard prints on its boots, wellies and dresses had helped annual sales soar 19.6% to £157million. Profit rose 34% to £10.1million.

E-commerce sales were up 30% with international demand, mainly in the US and Germany, 36.2% higher.

Joules plans to open 12 new UK stores during the next year, said chief executive Colin Porter, taking its total to 120.