COUNCILLORS seeking to preserve a dying craft have cleared the way for a bookbinder to sell his business as a going concern.

John Baron has been running his hand-craft business from his home in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, for almost nine years.

Now he wants to market the property with the business use for bookbinding,

But for someone to take over, Mr Baron needed the council to lift a condition which meant only he could do bookbinding at the premises.

Following a site visit and talks with Mr Baron, Hyndburn development services committee agreed to allow the business to be operated by someone else.

Coun Cath Thom said: "It is a craft and we should be passing it on.

"That is what we are short of," she added.

Councillors have put conditions on the permission, to ensure the business activity is not stepped up causing traffic problems or disturbance to neighbours.

Only the two ground floor front rooms can be used for hand-craft bookbinding, and only by the occupier of the house with no other assistants employed.

Business use would not normally be allowed, but was granted to Mr Baron in 1987 who needed to work from home because of ill-health.

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