BARKER'S department store at Northallerton has beaten the likes of Harvey Nichols and Selfridge's to top a league table of successful retailers.

The company was the most profitable department or variety store in Britain by pre-tax profit margin in the financial year 2001-2.

The business ratio report, published annually by the Prospect Shop, in London, shows Barker's, which recorded £10m in sales, had a pre-tax profit margin of 13.6pc, nearly three times the industry average of 4.7pc.

Companies behind it in the top ten included Fenwick, Harvey Nichols, Dunnes Stores and Selfridge's Retail.

The report analysed and compared the financial performance of 80 leading companies operating as department and variety stores.

Charles Barker, managing director of the Northallerton store, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Barkers, sometimes called the Harrods of the North, is a family-run business which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2000.

The store in the High Street has been extensively refurbished in recent years and a furniture department opened in a separate building in Yafforth Road. Plans have been approved to extend the Yafforth store further.