THE inventor of a slimming patch for chocolate addicts is celebrating her company's move to new prestigious offices.

Liz Paul, the managing director of the Aromacology Patch Company Limited, said she was 'delighted' with the new offices even though it meant moving her company from her home town of Ilkley.

From humble beginnings the company has gone from strength to strength with the crave control patches finding pride of place on the shelves of chain store Boots the Chemist.

Ms Paul said that the decision to leave her former premises in Valley Drive, Ilkley, was taken after the award of a £100,000 grant from the Yorkshire Enterprise Fund Managers.

The company now occupies two glass-fronted floors of an office overlooking the canal in the historic village of Saltaire.

"We have two floors overlooking the river - it is absolutely fabulous," said Ms Paul, who told the Gazette that the grant was only awarded on condition that the company relocated to an economic regeneration area.

"If you apply for a grant you can only get it in one of those areas they are trying to help," said Ms Paul.

The company, which sub-contracts its manufacturing and distribution to other firms, has nine employees including consultants.

And for Ms Paul the company move was not the only one she was involved in last week. She also moved her own home from Ilkley to Harrogate.

She said she was now looking forward to a brighter future for her anti-chocolate craving patches with interest from North America, South Africa, Canada, South America and Europe.

The Aromacology Patch Company is also in the process of developing a patch to combat cravings for salty snacks, which also cause weight gain when consumed excessively - and too much salt can lead to heart problems.

The move coincides with the launch of an American product which also advertises itself as a 'Shape Patch' slimming product.

This product uses an extract from the ocean plant Bladderwrack and advertises itself as a discrete and easy slimming solution.

Ms Paul said that her anti-craving Aromacology patches had no connection whatsoever with 'Shape Patches' and worked in an entirely different way from them.

The principle of 'Crave Control' patches is designed to target the smell senses and has an aroma which is released over the 24 hours the patch is worn.

As this saturates the sense of smell, wearers are supposed to reduce their cravings for the sweet foods which contain fattening substances.