At one point it didn't look like it could fix itself, let alone anything else, but Homebase has seen a return to profit earlier than expected.

The retailer, which has stores in Gloucester and Stroud, now plans to open new smaller-format stores, as reported by Retail Week.

But it was too late for the Cheltenham store, which closed just before Christmas last year.

The home and DIY company reported a surge in profits to £3.2m during the year to 29th December 2019, up from a £114.5m loss during the same period the previous year.

Like-for-like sales were up 2.6 per cent, which Homebase said was due to the positive response from customers to new ranges, in-store improvements and a better online shopping experience.

While Homebase closed 42 of its own stores last year, it acquired bathroom retailer, Bathstore, including 26 standalone stores and 49 concessions. The retailer has invested £10m into improvements to Bathstore showrooms, to create inspirational spaces for its customers.