A PET shop owner has moved to purse-friendly Spain after being priced out of Oxfordshire’s housing market.

White Horse Exotics in Abingdon shut last month, and a planning application has been lodged to turn it into a milkshake and vintage furniture shop.

Stuart Hamilton, who owned the reptile store in Stert Street, explained how living costs and bad weather prompted his family to pack up for the south of Spain.

He said: “We loved every moment at the shop and it was more successful than we could have ever hoped for.

"Our customers were all very loyal and friendly and we received many good luck cards leading up to our closing day. We even had a few tears from customers."

Though he said rental prices for the business premises were reasonable, a 'major factor' of the move was housing prices in Abingdon.

He said: “We were paying nearly £1,100 a month for a two-bedroom house - when you add council tax and bills on top, it adds up to a considerable amount.”

Mr Hamilton is now living in the sunny Spanish mountains, in a three-bedroom house with a swimming pool and 5,000 square metres of land for his reptiles to roam - all for just £350 a month.

He will continue to run a similar exotic pets business there.

He added: "We took our reptiles with us and can keep them outside in large natural enclosures. Not only did we benefit from the move, but the animals did as well."

The shop opened in 2015 and a change of use application has been submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council to replace it, with a vintage cafe combining milkshakes and furniture.

Agents for 'Willow's Shakeshop' descibe the business as both ‘milkshake tea rooms’ and a ‘vintage furniture shop’.

In documents submitted to the council, they said: “The shop will sell milkshakes, hot and cold drinks, snacks cakes and sweets.

“It would provide a seating area inside for approximately 15 customers as well as a section for retailing vintage furniture.”

The layout of the existing shop would stay the same, but with an additional freestanding counter top and kitchen and sink area at the back. 

Planning documents state the new business would also involve redecorating the shop front and adding a new hanging sign outside. 

The council is due to decide on the tea rooms plan by August 30.