SPONSOR
DESCRIPTION Gardners has been involved as an integral link in the book supply chain for more than
INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOP OF THE YEAR
OVERVIEW These nine inspiring and indefatigable booksellers are the winners of the regional and country round of this award, where they emerged from a record 63 nominations. They now compete for the overall title of Independent Bookshop of the Year. The winner will also join the shortlist for the Book Retailer of the Year award.
BOOKBUGS AND DRAGON TALES This Norwich indie makes the shortlist for the first time, having won the East of England category. It was just six months old when lock- downs hit, but has emerged from them at the heart of its city. The shop has well over 4,000 loyalty card holders.
BOOK-ISH This Crickhowell shop was Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2020, and is the Wales winner again. Online sales flourished in lockdown, before in-person events and its own festival rebooted. In late 2021 a crowdfunder raised nearly £30,000 to help the founders buy the shop building.
THE EDINBURGH BOOKSHOP Scotland’s winner The Edinburgh Bookshop is short- listed for the fourth time. It packs a mighty range of books and activities into a tiny 450 sq ft space, and tie-ins with national promotions and local partners helped it grow sales for the ninth year in a row.
O’MAHONY’S Ireland’s winner, Limerick- based O’Mahony’s, traces its bookselling heritage back 120 years. The country’s tough lockdowns hit its academic, library and consumer chan- nels, but click-and-collect, an overhauled website, book bundles and filmed events kept sales going.
WONDERLAND BOOKSHOP Retford-based Wonderland is the Midlands winner, and is also in contention for Children’s Bookseller and, with founder Helen Tamblyn- Saville, Individual Bookseller. Its emphasis on empathy, inclusivity and charitable work struck a chord in 2021.
33 ON THE NIGHT
THE WINNER OF THE INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOP OF THE YEAR NIBBIE WILL JOIN THE BOOK RETAILER OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST
BURLEY FISHER BOOKS Haggerston’s Burley Fisher is the London category winner for the second year in a row. It pushed on with new initiatives in 2021, launching its own festival and converting its basement into a second-hand and antiquarian books space. The shop is a leading light in LGBTQ+ bookselling.
THE HASLEMERE BOOKSHOP The South-East England winner has been at the heart of its Surrey town for more than 30 years. There were local hand deliveries and online book clubs in the early months of 2021, then enticing displays and lots of school visits when lockdown eased.
FORUM BOOKS The North of England winner is another familiar name, having been shortlisted here three times before. It shrugged off the pandemic to open two new shops in the north-east—The Bound in Whitley Bay and The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick—without skipping a beat at its Corbridge base.
THE BOOKERY The community-owned Bookery in Crediton is the South-West England winner, and is shortlisted for Children’s Bookseller of the Year too. The shop rolled out a bold rebrand, and by the end of 2021 it had doubled its subscriptions and loyalty card holders, and grown sales by more than 50%.
EMMA CORFIELD-WALTERS INDIE BOOK-ISH
WON THE WALES COUNTRY AWARD
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
