MORE than 70 people packed the Congregational Church in Crediton High Street for the first Annual General Meeting of Crediton Community Bookshop.

The unusually high turn-out for this formal event delighted the community-run bookshop's management committee.

Chairman Ken McKechnie said: "We were keen to get as many people along as possible, as we needed to make a change to our rules to allow our 280 shareholders to claim tax relief on their investment.

"They responded magnificently."

Attendees heard that the shop, which has been in business as a community venture since late September, exceeded its financial projections in the first six weeks' trading and is looking forward to a busy Christmas season.

Shop manager, Dee Lalljee, said: "Getting the shop running as we would like, including training our volunteers, has kept us really busy.

"With our new ordering systems we can often get customers' orders for them the next day – and, of course, people don't pay postage on orders for new books made through the Bookshop."

After the AGM, book enthusiasts crowded the Bookshop to hear Simon Hall, author of the TV detective series and real-life BBC crime correspondent, give a talk and sign his books.

Commenting afterward, Mr Hall said: "A wonderful initiative to keep the shop going. Here's wishing you all the very best with it."

Initiatives currently being planned include a shop book token, to enable book lovers to give a present that will not just please their friends, but help keep the Bookshop and the local economy in good shape, too.