An historic glove-making firm which is favoured by royalty will remain loyal to Warminster if its plans to move to a new home are given the go-ahead.

Dents Factory, which has been in Fairfield Road since 1937, wants to move to land in Furnax Lane.

Managing director Robert Yentob said he is excited about the proposal, which would mean the business stays in the garrison town.

“We looked at a site in Frome which would have suited us, to be frank, but it was not quite so good for the staff,” he said.

“Another issue was that the council in Warminster understandably wanted us to stay, so finding a local site that was suitable was our main focus.

“This move has never been about trying to capitalise on the property market. It is about growing because we need to be able to expand our work space.”

The firm’s 50 full-time staff, as well as part-time staff, have been told their jobs are safe and any move is not expected to take place for another year or two.

At the moment Henry Boot Developments own the Fairfield Road site and have submitted a planning application for it to be turned into a retail development, specifically for upmarket chain Waitrose.

If planning permission is refused, Henry Boot could pull out of the deal. This application, due to be discussed by Wiltshire Council next week, has been delayed to tie in with Dents’ Furnax Lane application.

Asked about the supermarket deal, Mr Yentob said: “It will bring people in to the town. It is not confirmed they are coming and I doubt whether they will do anything until the planning goes through, but it was planned with them in mind.”

Dents, which was established in Worcester in 1777, moved to Warminster in the 1930s when it took over the former Jefferies Manufacturing Company premises in Fairfield Road.

Tony Nicklin, of Warminster Chamber of Commerce, wants to see the Fairfield Road application considered at the same time as the Furnax Road one, because of their interdependent relationship.

He said: “I think it is absolutely essential. All the time Mr Yentob has been thinking about this he has been talking to the town council. He has been keeping the town council informed and we all have helped and guided them through it.”

The application for the Furnax Lane site has been submitted by Dents and landowners Prospect Land.