Blacks Leisure leads way for 2010

Northamptonshire MEP Emma McClarkin is delighted that Blacks Leisure Group, whose headquarters is in Weedon Road, St. James, has announced that they are on a “much stronger footing with significantly enhanced recovery prospects”. 

Blacks Leisure Group, who operate outdoor retail stores Millets and Blacks, cut jobs at their headquarters in Northampton and shut 87 stores across the country in 2009.  But today they announced a fantastic increase of 13% in like-for- sales in the last quarter of 2009.  Additionally, in the peak Christmas period sales increased by an impressive 15.2% over the same period the previous year. 

Emma McClarkin MEP believes that this is positive news for Northampton from the Weedon Road company who are keeping us warm in this extreme winter weather. 

She points to the company’s statement that they intend to re-enter stores which achieved consistently high levels of sales but were loss making due to being over-rented.  Miss McClarkin considers this to point not only to recovery but growth for Blacks Leisure Group which should then create jobs at their Northampton base.

The Northamptonshire MEP said:

“I remember reading in the local press at the beginning of October last year of the difficulties that Blacks Leisure was facing and thinking of the local Northampton people who were to be made redundant before Christmas as a knock-on effect.

“I am delighted that Blacks has made significant steps towards recovery as this will mean more jobs and more money flowing through the local economy which can only benefit Northampton and beyond.

“I believe that Blacks is a clear example of how hard work and sensible commercial thinking can get Britain back on her feet after this recession.”