BUILDERS merchant Travis Perkins has revealed that weak consumer spending was continuing to hold back sales at its Wickes operation, despite a recent pick-up in the housing market.

Sales at Wickes, which was acquired in February last year, were 9.4 per cent lower in the 16 weeks to April 22, although Travis said business had started to improve.

Easter trading was satisfactory and chairman Tim Stevenson said fresh activity in the housing market suggested conditions in the DIY market would get better from July.

He said: "Trading at Wickes is recovering slowly from the difficult market conditions experienced at the beginning of the year, with the pace of recovery still being impacted by weak consumer spending."

At its retail outlets, sales of core building products were down 9.9 per cent against the corresponding period last year, while showroom sales were 7.2 per cent lower.

However, Mr Stevenson said: "Lead indicators, particularly from the housing market, continue to suggest activity levels in our markets will improve gradually in the second half.

"In that context, we currently expect that our second-half performance will be stronger than the comparative period in 2005."

The addition of Wickes brought 171 stores into the Travis portfolio, giving Travis Perkins an overall estate of 994 locations.

As a result, group turnover to the end of this month is expected to be nine per cent higher than a year ago and Travis said overall trading was in line with its expectations.

Sales at its merchanting business were 1.6 per cent lower on a like-for-like basis, although that was in line with its forecasts.

Travis also revealed that its specialist plumbing and heating business was improving.

As a result, group turnover to the end of April was expected to be nine per cent higher than a year ago and Travis said overall trading was in line with its expectations.