A TOP company has been recognised in a national list.

World of Books - based in Goring - has been named in a London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report.

The annual report, which is now in its fourth edition, aims to highlight the lifeblood of the UK economy.

The 2017 list reflects the fastest growing and most dynamic companies in the UK and includes businesses from over 40 sectors.

World of Books was recognised for its strong performance in the retail sector having demonstrated impressive revenue growth over the last three years.

Sales have reached £30 million per annum.

Other companies recognised in the same category include bed and furniture company Loaf and jewellery brand Monica Vinader.

The announcement comes just one month after World of Buzz – the holding company for World of Books – was awarded a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for outstanding contribution to International Trade.

Stephen Boobyer, CEO of World of Books, said: “We are thrilled to be included in this year’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report.

“Since the company launched in 2008, we have become the largest seller of used books in the UK and Europe.

“It is a testament to our hard-working employees and partners that we have been able to achieve such rapid growth.

“The SME sector is not without its challenges but we continue to look for new and innovative ways to grow the business globally.”

Last year the retail sector saw its biggest increase in sales since 2011 with a 6.6 per cent year on year growth in October 2016.

In a sector that was valued at £339 billion in 2015, it is encouraging for SMEs to see that UK consumers have not been put off by Brexit.

Martin McTague, policy director for the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Our UK small businesses regularly punch above their weight and it’s fantastic to see their achievements celebrated.

“This latest edition of 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain provides a great opportunity to showcase the innovation and creativity at the very root of our economy.”

A full searchable database of all of the companies along with a downloadable pdf of the publication can be found online at www.1000companies.com

World of Books ships more than two million orders a year to customers around the world.

A spokesman said: “We are committed to minimising our environmental impact.

“Each month we recycle more than four million books saving 22,000 tonnes of books a year from going into landfill.

“All of our paper waste is recycled within the UK and turned into corrugated cardboard.

“We strongly believe that it is a travesty to simply throw away a used book when there is nothing wrong with it.

“We believe in giving each book the chance of finding a new home.

“We are now the largest seller of second hand books in the entire UK.”