A Hatfield business has been forced to move out of the town centre after its landlord put the rent up by £10,000 a year

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Lynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOOLynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

Lynn Stevens, 58, who ran Beauty Bliss Therapy from The Arcade has had to relocate after her private landlord increased her rent by 200% last week.

The mum-of-one has been beautifying people in the town for 16 years but couldn’t justify the hefty rent increase so instead has invested money into turning a part of her home into a salon.

She told the WHTimes: “It’s really sad that private landlords are doing this because now another business has had to close down in the town centre.

“My salon there was a lovely community place where people could pop in for a cuppa if they were walking through town but now that’s gone.”

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Lynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOOLynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

Although the former Onslow St Audrey’s pupil will miss the town’s atmosphere she expressed how glad she was to be away from the rats, “stinky” rubbish and parking problems.

Lynn has worked in the town centre since she was a 14-year-old working in the butcher’s, then when she was 16 she began work as a dental nurse at Mr Carse’s Dental Practice.

She left the practise in 1989 to have her son and went to beauty school in 1995.

She first began doing beauty treatments in the back of Figure Shapers in the town centre before opening her own salon in The Arcade.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Lynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOOLynn Stevens has moved her business, Beauty Bliss, from Hatfield Town Centre into her home after her landlord put her rent up by £10K a year. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

The rent increase also affected her colleague Mel who offered beauty treatments from her salon but now offers her tanning services from inside Bronze Babes, in White Lion Square.

Lynn’s home now features a salon with a business entrance that is separate from her home and offers free parking on her driveway.

She said: “Customers have commented on how much nicer it is than going to the town centre.”

Nick Brown, chairman of Welwyn Hatfield Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is a great shame to see local businesses like Beauty Bliss Therapy moving out of the Town centre, this damages the local community, and the sense of wellbeing and belonging.

“Just pushing up costs is not the way to build a thriving local economy.”

Poundworld, that only just opened in the town centre last year, also closed in July.

To book an appointment you can contact Lynn on 01707 265600.