Gillis said that the rising euro and the decrease in disposable income will force Britons to take holidays in the UK. He said the bad weather this summer had had a negative impact on sales of camping equipment, but he expected many more people to stay in the UK for holidays, which would help the retailer next year.
Gillis will also target music festival goers next year for its Blacks and Millets brands. He will introduce seasonal dedicated areas in Millets next year and hopes to partner with more festivals to sell their tickets in stores with special festival packs, including all the gear needed to camp at the big events such as Glastonbury and V Festival.
Blacks is also gearing up to open the first fully overhauled Millets store in Bristol next month. Gillis said: “The store will be broken up not by brand but by activity, with extreme sports, family outings and walking-specific areas.”
Blacks’ O’Neill brand, for which it runs 14 stores under licence, will at least double its portfolio over the next few years, he added.
But he also stressed how important cost controls were while trading in a recession-bound economy. “There needs to be even more emphasis on value and stocking, because excess stock will not be bought in a recession, even if it is on Sale.”
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