Meeting Kingfisher chief executive Thierry Garnier, it feels quite like the old days – a retailer walking his new store, asking questions, suggesting improvements, some friendly words of thanks and encouragement to the staff.

The only thing that gives it away are the face masks everyone is wearing. Well, perhaps not the only thing. The Wandsworth branch he is visiting is a new format, representative of new thinking at Kingfisher and new ways of doing business.