A NEW promotional strategy has boosted Debenhams as it looks to recover from a 24 per cent slump in profits caused by disastrous Christmas trading.

The department store chain, which will return to Bradford with a store in the new Broadway shopping centre, said it was now selling more products at full price after overhauling its calendar of promotions, with its summer sale starting two weeks later this year.

Operating profits in the six months to August 30 rose nearly three per cent but the turnaround was not enough to prevent the retailer reporting a drop in bottom-line profits of 24 per cent to £105.8 million for the financial year. Admitting recently that ten per cent of its UK space was under-performing, the chain has invited Sports Direct, Mothercare, Monsoon and Costa into its stores in a trial that could lead to the arrival of a number of other leading brands.

It said there were encouraging early signs from the trial, which will be extended to further stores before Christmas.