The craze for adult activity books and bright stationery has brought some colour to sales at Swindon-based retailer WH Smith.
The firm, which has its headquarters at Greenbridge, enjoyed an 11% increase in year-on-year pre-tax profits to £80m on a 4% rise in total group sales to £633m in the six months to February 29. 
Earlier this month, Swindon Business News revealed that WH Smith was launching Querkles, an ‘extreme’ colour-by-numbers craft series which has already taken Australia by storm, in 400 of its outlets across the UK.
Strong sales of Querkles and similar publications, particularly in its stores in airports, railway stations and motorway services – along with the colouring pencils need to complete them – boosted the group’s trading performance, it said. Sales of kids’ books were also strong.
However, its traditional high street stores continued to struggle, with a 1% sales decline, although profits in the division climbed by 6% on an annual basis as it cut costs.
The group said it made savings of £5m in the first half from and expected to cut a further £4m in the second six months from the high street division.
Group chief executive Stephen Clarke said: “The group has delivered a strong first half with both our travel and high street businesses performing well.
"The travel performance reflects our ongoing investment in the UK business and growing passenger numbers while internationally we have now secured over 200 stores, including our first airport shops in Spain and Germany.”
