Alternative accommodation for Atherstone households

Atherstone grew as a long ribbon of houses and shops along Watling Street, so many of its homes sit close to the old road, the canal or the River Anker, which forms the county border here. Any of them can be put out of use by water, fire or storm damage.

A small town has few family-sized places to stay for weeks at a time. For a household from Atherstone or Mancetter, Coventry is about 13 miles to the south.

Sullivan Heights is about 14 miles from Atherstone and Humber Hub about 15 miles. Either gives the household beds for everyone, a kitchen big enough for family meals and laundry on site.

The booking can be made by the insurer, a loss adjuster or the claims handler, with the claim reference printed on the pro-forma. When the repair schedule slips, a new pro-forma keeps the household in the house.

Atherstone's felt hat trade employed 3,000 people in seven firms at its peak in the early 20th century; the last factory, Wilson and Stafford, closed in 1999.

The remains of the last hat works, on Coleshill Road, were scheduled for demolition in 2022 after the council decided they could not safely be turned into homes.