Sun shining on profits at B&M

Profits at bargain retailer B&M rose by more than 30 per cent in the first half of the year, but underlying revenue was held back in the UK as it ran out of garden products early in the summer.

Like-for-like sales in the first half grew 0.9 per cent in the UK business, with a slowdown in July and August after most of the gardening and outdoor gear was snapped up earlier in the period.