The book shop on a boat

Fed up with city life, Sarah Henshaw quit her job as an entertainment journalist in London and went in search of something different.

In June 2009 she bought a narrow boat and began fitting it out as a book shop called The Book Barge.

All went well initially, but the effect of the economic downturn and intense competition from online retailers meant hard times were to follow.

Sarah has now published a book about her adventures on Britain's canals The Bookshop That Floated Away.

Video Journalist: John Galliver

Real Time is a series for the BBC News website in which ordinary people tell their own extraordinary stories.