COLEFORD's popular Forest Bookshop has come first for the second year running in the Southern Region final of a competition for small business excellence.
As regional winner of the Parcelforce Worldwide Small Business of the Year competition, it will now go through to the national finals at the end of this month.
Started in 1976 by Doug McLean, it serves the area as a local general and specialist bookshop and has also developed a specialist service in supplying study materials for anyone interested in deafness, deaf issues and sign language.
Minicom text phones and video phones are available in the shop for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. In addition, most staff have sign language skills making the Forest Bookshop unique in Britain for its accessibility to a disabled group.
Mr McLean said: "This award is great news. We have invested a great deal in building up the bookshop. It is particularly pleasing to see our work providing information on deafness and deaf issues recognised."
The shop wins a prize worth £3,000.