In the nine months since it opened, Booths on Haven Road has helped catapult profits by 30 per cent to almost £7m.

And with plans to open another major store in Garstang next year, bosses are hoping that more traditional ways of shopping will buck the trend of the ongoing credit crunch.

The UK's only remaining independent chain – which has stores across the Fylde – will open a new store opposite its existing site on the market town towards the end of 2009.

But the success of its flagship Lytham outlet – the biggest Booths store on the Fylde – has not been a surprise to bosses at the Lancashire-based firm.

David Benson, retail operations director, said: "The Lytham store has only been opened for a matter of six months and has proved to be a major success.

"We are very pleased with how it has performed as a new store and, more importantly, how the local community have taken to it.

"We always had high expectations for the Haven Road site because of its joint venture with department store Stringers which has also helped boost its profile in the town.

"The store has attracted a lot of local people plus a lot of people out of the area are also coming to have a look round.

"Many are liking what they see and coming back which is always good for the business."

The £10m development which boasts a seashell shape building, also home to a new branch of the Stringers department store, has caused quite a stir and not just for its produce.

A top restaurant cooking locally produced food, plus the installation of an art gallery on the first floor has brought a new breed of shoppers to the town.

Bosses have also been forced to go back on controversial parking measures installed at the site when it first opened.

There is now free parking for three hours for customers.

The town's other Booths store, on Market Square, has also remained open and is performing well.

Mr Benson added: "The smaller Lytham store has seen a decrease in footfall but that was always expected following the opening of the Haven Road store.

"It is still performing well, however."