IT’S LAURA CRASHLEY

Laura Ashley is banking on the best of British after posting a plunge in profits.

The fashion and homeware chain reckons the “enduring nature and heritage of this much-loved British brand” will see it through a tough patch.

A third of its sales are products made here, including all its wallpaper, paint and made-to-measure curtains. But the weak pound hit the cost of the other 67% of products it imports.

That and “challenging” trading saw profits tumble to £6.3million in the 52 weeks to June 30, from £22.8m over a longer 74-week prior period. Shop sales fell 3.1% year on year with fashion down a hefty 10.4%, but online takings rose 5.6%.