But after it emerged that group trading director John Colley is quitting to return to former employer Majestic Wine, the City must be asking itself whether that engine is not only stalling but running out of gas completely.

Colley’s exit is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from the B&Q and Screwfix owner, leaving it with an enormous rebuilding job of its own to do.

Its group executive team has been decimated over the past year. Supply chain director Arja Taaveniku kicked off the exodus when she left last September. Finance boss Karen Witts resigned a month later to take on the same role at Compass.