Dunelm pins hopes on This Morning team

The boss of Dunelm is banking on Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield to boost sales at the homewares chain.

Chief executive Nick Wilkinson on Wednesday said “there’s room to become more national” and attract a new wave of younger customers with help from sponsorships such as ITV’s This Morning show.

Although Dunelm is spending £4 million more on its marketing efforts this year, Wilkinson insisted the “overall costs are not that high”.

The firm defied the retail doom and gloom as pre-tax profits rose £10 million to £70 million for the half year to December 29, on sales of £551.8 million, up 1.2%.

Its same-store sales increased by 3.8% and sales of velvet chairs and lamps adorned with llamas were strong. Online orders rose 35.8%.