"I came across chemical companies making products, one of which was an oven cleaner. I was always the one lumbered with cleaning our oven..." The word 'lumbered' here means:

"After being made redundant from his job as a sales manager for a telecoms business, Mr Stockdale decided to fulfil a lifelong ambition to run his own company." The phrase 'made redundant' means:

"Since her arrival, White Stuff has sought locations away from the beaten track and shopping centres are viewed as anathema." The phrase " locations away from the beaten track" means:

"White Stuff has eschewed the shop design of a traditional fashion retailer, preferring to model its interiors on a Victorian house..." The word "eschew' means:

"‘It’s not rocket science,’ explains Ms Bailey. ‘You just need to listen to what the customer is saying." The phrase 'It's not rocket science' means:

"Retailers often declare that customers are their most important asset. But, while some sound as if they are paying lip service to the idea, Sally Bailey... is a true believer." The phrase 'paying lip service' means:

"Desperate to get the supermarket chain to stock his oven cleaning product Oven Pride, Mr Stockdale bombarded the buyer with calls." The phrase 'bombard somebody with something' means

"But it was to no avail: ‘The response was always “Thanks but no thanks”,’ he recalls." The phrase "it was to no avail" means:

"I was always the one lumbered with cleaning our oven, so I was intrigued." The word "intrigued" means

"White Stuff amended its floor plans, introducing a false wall that screened off the changing area." The phrase 'screen off' means

"It took a letter from a satisfied customer, asking when the cleaner would be available in shops, to prompt Mr Stockdale to change his strategy and approach high street retailers." The phrase 'prompt somebody to do something' means:

"White Stuff’s customers, whom Ms Bailey describes as ‘extremely loyal’, are not deterred by these intrepid expeditions." The word 'intrepid' means: