A high end womanswear shop in Cheltenham has finally bought its premises, 16 years after moving in.

Suzanne Temple, owner of Blue in Montpellier, has acquired the 3,450 sq ft premises it operates from, after fearing that rising rent prices would have caused her to move elsewhere.

She used a £500,000 commercial mortgage from HSBC to buy the premises, and said: "I am absolutely delighted to own this beautiful property, which is something I never imagined could be possible.

"My relationship manager, Simon Tudball, made sure the process of agreeing the mortgage was as straightforward and uncomplicated as possible, which meant I could focus on running the business while the transaction completed."

Sarah Lucas, from HSBC, said: "We are delighted to have been able to support Suzanne in her endeavours as this has been an ambition of hers for many years. Not only is this a great business opportunity for Suzanne but it has also allowed her to invest in her workforce too."

Blue opened in June 2000 at 2, Queens Circus, after Suzanne spotted a gap in the market for interesting and individual clothes that could not be found on the high street.

As well as owning a store in Cheltenham, Suzanne owns Blue in Bath.

Picture caption: Simon Tudball from HSBC with Kai Carr and Suzanne Temple, both from Blue