It’s only a week since Steve Smith delivered the Ashes to Australia. And now Solomon Lew has opened a new front in our eternal battle with the Old Enemy.

In a bold signal to the UK’s already struggling shop owners, Lew’s Premier Investments has taken a one-off $25.9 million pre-tax charge in its 2019 accounts for accelerated depreciation amortisation so that Premier can break the leases on its 134 Smiggle stores up to five years early.