Total UK store sales, excluding VAT, were up 6.4% for the nine weeks of Christmas trading from November 2 to January 3, the company said. Over the same period, like for like UK store sales growth, excluding VAT, was 3.7%.

Chief executive Steve Lewis said: “We are very pleased with our sales growth over the Christmas period. I would like to thank our loyal customers for battling through December’s dreadful weather conditions to purchase their wine from Majestic.”

Majestic estimates that the bad weather took away 2% of the sales it might otherwise have achieved. Some other retailers say they suffered a 5% setback due to the snowy conditions.