As national High Street retailers issue profit warnings and reveal slumps in sales, one local independent menswear retailer is toasting its sales success.

Paul Howard Menswear, an institution in Marple, Cheshire for the past 30 years, has reported sales were up by 15 per cent in 2007. This follows a similar sales increase in the year before that.

 And figures for the first weeks of 2008 prove that sales are showing no sign of slowing down, according to owner Paul Whatmough.

“There may be a sales bloodbath in the High Street nationally, but our business is booming,” he said. “The number of shoppers here in Marple continues rising. Couple that with the increase in our online business and we’re confident 2008 will be our most successful year yet.”

Against a backdrop of dismal trading statements from the likes of Woolworths, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer, Paul Howard Menswear is busy extending its range of upmarket menswear to meet increasing customer demand.

Paul Howard Menswear boasts an extensive formal hire service, a collection of more than 35 brands of menswear and footwear from top European names such as Gant, Blue Willis, Bruno St Hilaire and Melka and a made-to-measure service which offers more than 1,000 choices of cloth.

Paul Whatmough believes part of the reason for the High Street retailing slump is growing dissatisfaction amongst shoppers with mass market clothing where quality has been sacrificed in favour of bargain basement prices.

“Buyers of men’s clothes in particular are realising that the ultra cheap clothing imports found in some of the big name High Street shops and out-of-town shopping malls are usually of poorer quality, ill fitting and look shabby extremely quickly,” said Paul Whatmough.

“We specialise in quality, modern classic styles which appeal to all age groups. Increasingly, our customers want their clothing to reflect their own lifestyle aspirations of taste, discernment and quality. They are also finding that the combination of good, old fashioned customer service and impartial advice about their clothing needs make a refreshing change from the typical High Street chainstore experience.“