A rise in turnover at Scottish delivered wholesaler JW Filshill has been marred by a drop in profits caused partly by bad debts.

Glasgow-based Filshill said it had been pleased with a 5.5% increase in turnover to £171.8m in the year to 31 January.

However, the disappearance of key independent retailers from the Scottish landscape last year, including the 10-store McLeish Brothers deli chain and the 22-site forecourt operator Dolphin Retail, had saddled Filshill with unpaid bills, said director Simon Hannah.

Static growth in confectionery, soft drinks and grocery also hit pre-tax profits at the wholesaler, which fell by more than £200,000 during the year to just over £1.7m.

Fuel prices and operating cost increases had also played their part, said Hannah.

Despite the setbacks, Filshill's overall number of customer accounts had ­remained steady at around the 1,400 mark, with new clients including BrandInvestGroup's Winehouse and Cellar No 1 fascias.

The company, which now delivers to retailers as far south as Hull, is also looking to expand its KeyStore retail fascia, currently sported by 163 retailers throughout Scotland, and is launching a new online ordering system.