Barbour prospers ... and plans for Brexit squall
THE Queen once turned down the offer of a new Barbour jacket, as she liked her old one so much. But thankfully for the outdoor wear manufacturer, not all its customers are quite as thrifty.
Sales at the iconic British brand topped £184million in the year ending April 30, 2017, according to its latest set of accounts, while profit rose to £29.3 million.
Founded in 1894 by John Barbour in the Tyneside town South Shields, Barbour originally supplied oilskins and other weatherproof garments to local sailors, fishermen and dockworkers.
It later moved into other products including its famous waxed jacket and biking wear, as sported by Hollywood star Steve McQueen.
The company, chaired by Dame Margaret Barbour, said that ‘in spite of tough economic conditions and unseasonable weather’, the year saw ‘a positive performance’ with growth in most of its major markets and across most product categories. However, it sounded a note of caution on the UK’s planned exit from the European Union, warning it is ‘a source of considerable uncertainty and risk’.
Barbour said Europe is a ‘significant market for the business’, adding: ‘We are currently developing various contingency plans to manage and mitigate its effect.’ Barbour now sells in 40 countries around the world. As well as The Queen, well known fans of the brand include the Duchess of Cambridge, Alexa Chung, Meghan Markle and even James Bond, who wore a Barbour jacket in the Scottish countryside in Skyfall.