CSL sales up as it plots South East expansion

Total sales rose 14% across the 18-store retailer.

The Manchester-based retailer will begin its expansion into the South East, with a new store at Brent Cross Shopping Park in North West London. It will be the first outside of its heartland region in the North and Midlands.

It will open two further stores in the South East in the next 6-9 months. Csl wants 15 new stores by 2015.

The Brent Cross store will include one of the retailer’s new Inspiration Stations, which provide customers with advice on room styling from a team of interior design specialists. The new service was launched in store following the company’s appearance earlier this year on Mary Portas’ Secret Shopper series on Channel 4.

CSL managing director Jason Tyldesley said: “Our new Brent Cross store marks an important milestone for Csl, as we expand our brand nationally and invest in our store portfolio across prime retail locations.

“We’re confident of securing further growth in market share over the coming years as we scale up the business in the South East and continue to introduce new innovations to our service and product range across our stores.

“Recent trading has been very encouraging. From a broadly flat first quarter, sales have continued to rise. While there clearly remains a lot of uncertainty across retail, we’re optimistic that we’ll continue outperforming the sector as more customers buy into our customer service, retail experience, high quality products and our no-nonsense approach to pricing.”

Csl was founded by the Tyldesley family in 1984 with a single store in Burnley, Lancashire. The company now employs over 600 people.