Homewares and accessories retailer The White Company is to embark on ambitious expansion after reporting bumper full-year profits for the second year running.

The White Company intends to open 40 stores over the next five years, trebling its high street presence. It will focus on market towns such as Harrogate, Cheltenham and Cambridge.

The retailer reported strong Christmas trading. Like-for-like sales rose 7 per cent over the 10 weeks to December 29. Sales from its web site soared 27 per cent over the period.

The White Company managing director Patricia Alford-Burnett said its Savoy bedroom ranges, knitwear, fragrances and lighting ranges sold particularly well over Christmas.

The White Company was set up in 1994 by Chrissie Rucker, a former magazine journalist who still owns 100 per cent of the company with her husband.

The retailer has 19 stores in the UK, two Little White Company outlets and four concessions. There are also seven franchise stores in Dubai and Kuwait.

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