Improved trading for Pets at Home

The Pets at Home group, which has more than 400 stores, saw like-for-like sales growth of 2.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to the end of December.

Total revenue grew by 7.1 per cent to £195.1 million with merchandising revenue up 5.4 per cent to £177.3m

Services like-for-like growth was 8.5 per cent, driven by strong performance in vet and grooming services.

Fee income from joint venture veterinary practices was up 16.3 per cent to £7.5m.

The group, which has sites in Cannock, Kidderminster, Lichfield, Merry Hill, Oldbury, Stafford, Walsall and Wolverhampton, opened seven Pets at Home superstores in the period, as well as 15 grooming salons and six veterinary practices.

It is on track to deliver 20 to2 5 Pets at Home stores, five Barkers, 50 to55 vet practices and 55 to 60 grooming salons in the current financial year.

Chief executive Nick Wood said: "We are pleased with the improved trading momentum in our merchandise business, alongside continued strength in our vet and grooming services. We are also delighted with our acquisition of one of the UK's leading specialist hospitals, Anderson Moores, which further develops our presence in this important strategic segment of the veterinary market. I would like to thank all our colleagues for their hard work through the busy festive period. We look forward to further growth and expansion in 2016."