Bonmarche out of fashion as group predicts loss

0 Bonmarche boss Helen Connolly said current trading is ‘worse even than during the recession’

Clothing chain Bonmarche has warned it could slide to a £4 million loss amid “unprecedented” trading conditions.

The group’s chief executive Helen Connolly said conditions on the high street are worse than those seen during the recession sparked by the financial crisis.

Bonmarche, which already issued an earnings alert in September, estimated it will at best break even, but could slip to an underlying pre-tax loss of £4m for the full year.

It expects like-for-like sales

to fall 12 per cent in its third quarter and drop 1 per cent in the final three months.

The retailer has called trading in the Black Friday week “extremely poor” and blamed Brexit for adding to consumer woes.

Connolly said: “The current trading conditions are significantly worse even than during the recession of 2008/09.

“I believe that Bonmarche is well prepared to weather the storm, and that we can look forward to some recovery in full-year 2020.”