Independent bookshops from across the UK and Ireland are entering a new golden age for bookselling; emerging from the pandemic, Brexit and cost-of-living crisis closer to their communities and stronger than ever.
The British Book Awards 2023 Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, sponsored by book wholesaler Gardners, celebrates those stores that continue to support their local communities with bespoke bookselling and tailored initiatives.
In total there are 59 independent bookshops listed across nine different regions and countries, including ten in South-East England, nine in South-WestEngland, eight in North England, Scotland and Wales, seven in London, four in the Midlands, three in East England and two in the Island of Ireland.
Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller managing editor and chair of the Independent Bookshop of the Yearjudges,
said: “If there is one thing that has been driven home by these finalists it is that independent bookshops have been one of the winners of the pandemic. Indies have come through what could have been a hugely devastating time for the sector in their strongest position in decades. We have seen this generally in the increased numbers of indies throughout the UK and Ireland. But we also see it more specifically in these finalists with the shops’ innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity—all done in the service of local communities. We have entered a new golden age for independent bookshops.”
Wales
- Book-ish | Crickhowell
- Chepstow Books & Gifts | Chepstow
- Cover To Cover | Swansea
- Griffin Books | Penarth
- Gwisgo Bookworm | Aberaeron
- Shelf Life Books and Zines | Cardiff
- The Berwyn Bookshop | Mold
- The Bookshop | Mold
East England
- Bookbugs and Dragon Tales | Norwich
- Maldon Books | Maldon
- Niche Comics & Bookshop | Huntingdon
Island of Ireland
- Halfway Up the Stairs | Greystones, Wicklow
- Little Acorns Bookstore | Derry
London
- BookBar | Islington
- Burley Fisher Books | Haggerston
- The Children’s Bookshop | Muswell Hill
- Nomad Books | Fulham
- Phlox | Leyton
- Regency Bookshop | Surbiton
- Round Table Books | Brixton
Midlands
- Burway Books | Church Stretton
- Five Leaves Bookshop | Nottingham
- The Rabbit Hole | Brigg
- Wonderland Bookshop | Retford
North England
- Forum Books | Corbridge
- Imagined Things | Harrogate
- Kemps General Store & Bookshop | Malton
- Linghams Booksellers | Wirral
- Queer Lit | Manchester
- Sam Read Bookseller | Grasmere
- The Book Corner | Halifax
- Wave of Nostalgia | Haworth
Scotland
- Far From the Madding Crowd | Linlithgow
- Minerva’s Emporium | Kingussie
- The Book Nook Stewarton | Stewarton
- The Edinburgh Bookshop | Edinburgh
- The Mainstreet Trading Company | Melrose
- The Portobello Bookshop | Portobello
- Timberbooks | Overton
- Ullapool Bookshop | Ullapool
South-East England
- Afrori Books | Brighton
- Books On The Hill | St Albans
- City Books | Hove
- David’s Bookshop | Letchworth
- The Margate Bookshop | Margate
- Mostly Books | Abingdon
- Our Bookshop | Tring
- The Book Nook | Hove
- The Book Shop | Lee-on-the-Solent
- The Hungerford Bookshop | Hungerford
South-West England Bert’s Books | Swindon bookhaus | Bristol
- East Gate Bookshop | Totnes
- Liznojan | Tiverton
- Max Minerva’s | Bristol Mr B’s Emporium | Bath Shrew Books | Fowey
- Storysmith | Bristol
- The Borzoi Bookshop | Stow-on-the-Wold
The shops will compete to win their region first, before contending for the overall prize, which will be announced at The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House London on Monday 15th May 2023. The overall Independent Bookshop of the Year winner will also be in the running to be crowned Book Retailer of the Year.
There are five former overall winners featured as finalists this year, including Mr B’s Emporium in Bath(South-West England), Linghams Booksellers in Heswall (North England), St Boswells’ The Mainstreet Trading Company (Scotland), Five Leaves Bookshop of Nottingham (Midlands) and Crickhowell shop Book-ish (Wales).
Additionally, six of last year’s regional and country winners – Bookbugs & Dragon Tales (East England), Burley Fisher Books (London), Wonderland Bookshop (Midlands), Forum Books (North England), The Edinburgh Bookshop (Scotland) and Book-ish (Wales) – will attempt to reclaim their crowns. The baker’s dozen of first-time nominees includes Queer Lit, the former online-only LGBTQ+ specialist which opened its bricks-and-mortar store in Manchester’s Northern Quarter in 2021; the Ross and Cromarty stalwart The Ullapool Bookshop, whose manager Katharine Douglas was named on The Bookseller’s Bookshop Heroes list in 2022; Leyton’s Phlox Books, which founder Aimée Madill named after the shop her parents owned in Belfast during the 1980s; Swindon’s Bert’s Books, launched by long-time W H Smith marketer Alex Call in 2019; and David’s Bookshop, the 60-year-old Letchworth Garden City institution which in 2020 was bought by staff andput into an employee ownership trust.
This year’s list of finalists also features some of the UK and Ireland’s oldest and newest booksellers gohead-to- head. Sam Read Bookseller (North England), which was established in 1887, features alongside several bookshops that have opened their doors since 2019, including three which started life during the pandemic: The Book Nook Stewarton (Scotland), East Gate Book Shop (South West) and Dial Lane Books (East).
Ruth Gardner, Gardners’ UK Sales Manager, said: “We are so proud to be sponsoring the IndependentBookseller of
the Year award for the 14th year! Over the last few years, booksellers have proven themselves in the face ofadversity – adapting, evolving and progressing to new heights. We know it hasn’t been an easy ride, but it ’s amazing to see them thriving. The list is a tough one, with every entry being a worthy winner – it could be the toughest yet! We’d like to wish every entry the very best of luck, and can’t wait to be part of this journey withthem.”
The regional and country winners of the Independent Bookshop of the Year award will be announced on Thursday 16th March 2023; the overall winner will be revealed during The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House London on Monday 15th May 2023.
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