The owners of the luxury department store chain, the Fenwick family, will benefit from a £3.8 million dividend, in spite of falling sales and a drop in pre tax profit during 2009.

The chain, who have 11 outlets around the Uk, including London, Newcastle and Canterbury, reported a £2.5m sales drop to £360m for the 52 weeks to January 29, while pre tax profits also declined by £600,00 to £ 53 million.

A dividend of £11 per share was reportedly paid on ordinary shares in November 2009, and a second interim dividend of £18 per share was paid in march of this year.