Stalemate over future of IT firm

Four years ago Ms Hinton inadvertently flouted council restrictions by setting up her business in one half of an antiquarian bookshop run in Smith Street by her step-father Duncan Allsop.

But the council say Smith Street has to have priority for retail rather than business use and in January Ms Hinton was told she had to leave the premises by the end of March.

She said: “I wouldn’t mind so much but I employ six people here in Warwick and while I could relocate this part of my business, without our rent my step-father’s bookshop, which he has run for the past 47 years, will almost certainly close.”

Ms Hinton has refrained from making a formal change-of-use planning application because she has been told by council officers that they could not support it simply because of the priority retail designation of the street. But she does know of several longer established businesses, including a firm of insurance consultants, who continue to trade on the other side of the road. Local councillors are listening to her concerns - especially as the recession and last year’s roadworks led to an outcry from so many struggling traders.

Mr Allsop doubts he would be able to find another shop to share half of his premises - but as far as Ms Hinton is concerned, nobody seems to know what will happen next.