Out-of-town fashion and homeware retailer Matalan, which has Bradford branches at Forster Square retail park and Greengates, has revealed a surge in sales in the run-up to the festive period. The chain said like-for-like sales in the five weeks to December 31 increased 9.9 per cent, up from 1.3 per cent in the 13 weeks to November 26, as customers responded to its TV campaign, featuring a giant snowglobe.