Primark heralds 'striking' sales figures but New Look says 85 stores will close

Fashion retailer reports 1.2% increase as rival announces worse than expected newsPrimark has bucked the retail gloom with “striking” annual figures showing its “cheap chic” is drawing shoppers to the high street at a time when rivals are closing stores.The company said sales at UK stores open for more than one year rose 1.2% in the year to 15 September at a time when British retailers faced a slowdown in fashion sales as consumers bought fewer outfits. The annual increas