DORSET’S global paint and wallpaper maker Farrow & Ball has achieved record sales amid the DIY boom that set in during the pandemic.

Its parent company FB Ammonite saw revenue grow 35 per cent to £117million, with UK sales rising 44 per cent.

The Wimborne company’s operating profit for the year ending in March 2021 also set a record, up 202 per cent to £26.2m.

But interest costs of £38m owing to its financial structure led to an overall loss after tax of £16.3m, down from a £29.7m loss in 2020.

The rise in revenue allowed it to repay £15m in bank loans.

Since the last financial year, Farrow & Ball has been taken over by the Danish-based paint maker Hempel.

Farrow & Ball chief executive Anthony Davey said: “We are very pleased with our latest results which are broad based across all channels and markets and are a record result in our 75-year history.

“The results show a direct impact of the initiatives we have put in place last year and in prior years, which bodes well for the future.

“Specifically, we re-platformed our website and tailored our warehouse and despatch to facilitate a greater e-commerce focus. When Covid hit and many consumers ‘went online’, we were uniquely well placed to meet their needs. We quadrupled our e-commerce business.

“We are very thankful that the team at Farrow & Ball has done an exceptional job in keeping everyone safe and healthy throughout this period and at the same time delivering the best set of results in the brand's 75-year history.”

Farrow & Ball products are sold at 1,744 locations around the world, up by 12 from 2020. The UK accounts for 65 per cent of its sales.

Online sales grew by 250 per cent and now represent a quarter of the company’s revenue.

Farrow & Ball’s social media channels grew by 24 per cent, with just under 2.5m followers, including 1.1m on its Instagram account – more than triple the size of any other paint brand.

The company, which employed an average of 648 people during the year, said "robust" planning enabled it to maintain a reliable supply of products into the EU when others had more difficulty.

The business invested in marketing to highlight the durability of its emulsion, including its first advertising campaign on on-demand TV.

It also launched a new collection of colours with US celebrity designer Kelly Wearstler and expanded its colour consultancy service to offer virtual appointments with customers decorating during lockdown.