AN Abingdon bookshop has thanked its customers after being shortlisted for the title of best independent bookshop in the South East.

Mostly Books in Stert Street narrowly missed out on the winning place in the National Bookseller Awards.

Owner Mark Thornton, 44, who has run the shop with wife Nicki for nine years, said: “It is really down to the incredible support we have from customers.

“We do a lot of events and things with schools but the award also looks at how well your shop is doing.

Our top stories

“That requires customers to come in and we have fantastic support from people in Abingdon and further afield.

“People make quite a journey sometimes.”

The judges, who whittled down more than 60 entries the national shortlist of 24, hailed the “extraordinary depth and calibre” of this year’s entries.

Mostly Books was pipped to the post in the South East by Hertfordshire’s Chorleywood Bookshop.