Fylde jeweller sees business soar after lockdown

Beaverbrooks said it had seen a 30 per cent increase in year on year sales on opening day alone, as customers rushed out to purchase diamonds, jewellery and watches afterthree months of lockdown.

The family-owned jeweller, which reopened 58 stores in England and one in Northern Ireland on June 15, also reported appointments up 1,279 per cent on the same period in 2019, with 331 booked last week alone.

And after three long months of being at home, customers were also spending more in-store. The retailer noted a 23 per cent increase in average transaction value on jewellery and watches.

Beaverbrooks, which celebrated its centenary in 2019 and recently marked its sixth consecutive most profitable year in its history of trading, said it was feeling ‘cautiously optimistic’ about life after lockdown, as it welcomed customers back to its stores.

Despite a brief closure of its online operations in March, the brand experienced a steady increase in demand for jewellery an d watches while its 70 stores were closed, with customers still wanting to celebrate special moments with loved ones.

Anna Blackburn, managing director at Beaverbrooks, said: “Customer feedback and enquiries over the past 12 weeks indicated that the demand was there for in-store shopping, but of course there was an element of uncertainty when we reopened 59 of our stores last week.

“However, the first week of trading has been incredibly positive, and we’re feeling cautiously optimistic that consumer confidence is starting to return.

“While we saw strong performance online throughout lockdown, the response from customers this week has demonstrated that there is absolutely still demand for that personal in-store shopping experience, particularly when it comes to sentimental items and considered purchases such as gifts.”