Shop-owners book place in final

8:20am Friday 4th July 2008

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RARE books, some dating back 400 years have ensured a Tintern couple have made their way to the final of a Welsh business competition.

Cliff and Chris Tomaszewski, owners of Stella Books, have been shortlisted for the British Small Business Champions Award, Wales.

The couple set up shop in Tintern in 1991 and specialize in selling out of print books, in the Gwent town, their other shop in Hay-on-Wye or via the internet.

Cliff Tomaszewski described the type of books sold: "Particularly we sell a lot of children's and illustrated books. We have titles from the 1700s and 1600s."

Asked why he got involved in the book trade, Mr Tomaszewski said, "I'm a bit like a drug dealer really, I needed to feed my addiction."

The couple are up against five other finalists with the winners being announced on July 10 in Cardiff.