Pent-up demand sees Woodie's sales soar in May
DIY chain Woodie's recorded more revenue in the final two weeks of May than it did in the entire month in 2019.
The company said sales of garden furniture, barbeques, shrubs and plants, exterior paint and woodcare products were exceptional, supported by pent up demand and the fine weather in May.
Woodie's parent company the Grafton Group provided a trading and liquidity update for the five months to the end of May including an early indication of trading following the gradual reopening of the majority of their locations in the UK and Ireland that were closed in the last week of March.
Group revenue in continuing operations was down 26 per cent to €905 million in the five months to 31 May from €1.22 billion in the same period last year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Group had a solid start to the year before experiencing a decline in activity in the second half of March resulting in an overall decline in Group revenue of two per cent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.
The national shutdown measures remained in place throughout April in Ireland and the UK and had a material impact on trading leading to a decline in group revenue of 80 per cent in the month compared to April 2019.
The Grafton Group operates a range of DIY and builder supply businesses including Telfords, Cork Builders Providers and Chadwicks.
