Goldsmiths Group plc, the multiple retailer jeweller with an outlet in Spurriergate, York, has announced a last-minute spurt in Yuletide sales.

In the four weeks to New Year's Eve, sales jumped three per cent over last year's to £41.2 million.

Jurek Piasecki, chairman and chief executive, said: "The company has never known such a late Christmas.

"We experienced a poor November and this pattern continued through into early December. Fortunately, in the last week, we saw a significant increase.

"Watches, in particular, were an outstanding success but weakness was shown in diamonds and gold with the exception of the branded areas such as Gucci."

Since the store group's sale began on Boxing Day trading has been good, he said, adding that 2004 had been "a difficult year".

But the Yuletide buying bonanza meant that sales over the year were £179 million, slightly up on last year's figure of £176.8 million.

These were the first results since Baugur, the retail investment group, and the senior management of Goldsmiths set up a new company in May to acquire the entire issued share capital of Goldsmiths as part of a £110 million refinancing package.

Goldsmiths, founded in 1778, is the leading specialist multiple retailer of quality jewellery and watches in the UK with 171 branches retailing primarily under the Goldsmiths name.

The Goldsmiths Group is the largest quality jeweller in the UK, with stores in every major town and city, from Aberdeen to Torquay, and five in Northern Ireland.

Updated: 10:54 Tuesday, January 11, 2005