Thanks for afterthought, @Wigwam Well understood point. My current cork stuff has a goodly number of scratches caused by badly cornering dog!
Went to a tile warehouse/shop yesterday to assess the vinyl stuff. Sadly, do not think it is a starter for my kitchen. Too thin, hardly any texture to give a “soft” surface. Even the salesman said that it would scratch and maybe fade in direct sunlight. Not really suitable for high-usage cooking area.