B&Q was founded in March 1969 in Southampton, England, by Richard Block and David Quayle, following the purchase and fitting out of a former furniture warehouse in the Southampton suburb of Portswood. Originally called Block & Quayle, the duo soon shortened the brand to B&Q as stock delivery notes and invoices were already unofficially abbreviating the name. By each working over sixty hour, six day weeks, they were able to repay their bank overdraft within six months of opening, with turnover reaching £1million within the first five years of operating. Following the departure of co founder Block in 1976, the chain
Quayle Munro was Sir Alan Smith. In the 1980s, the company was involved in Dawson International's £650 million bid for Coats PLC and the £135 million full placing and listing of Shanks Group. Quayle Munro also assisted the Scottish Office with the privatisation of ScotRail and the Scottish Bus Group, the disposal of Scottish Enterprise's investment portfolio, the funding arrangements for the Skye Bridge and were advisers on the options regarding privatisation of water facilities in Scotland. The Skye bridge deal was the first private finance initiative (PFI) deal in the United Kingdom. Quayle Munro became the preferred adviser for the majority