Indie bookshops 'bucking trend of high street decline' as numbers remain high
According to a trade group, Britain's independent bookshops are "bucking the trend of high street decline", with the number of stores last year remaining close to a recent 10-year high.
The Booksellers Association reported that there were 1,052 independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland at the end of 2024, a slight decrease from the previous year's figure of 1,063.
Owners attribute the sector's resurgence in recent years to Covid-19 lockdowns and a subsequent increase in enthusiasm for reading, events, and the physical spaces of bookshops. From a record low of 867 independent bookshops in 2016, numbers have rebounded to a peak of 1,072 shops in 2022.
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Nic Bottomley, who operates Mr B’s Emporium in Bath, stated that events and curated book subscription services have become an increasingly important part of his business. Mr B’s Emporium hosts over 50 of its own events per year, such as author talks, as well as numerous others for different organisations, including launch parties at the shop or pop-up sales elsewhere.
"Bookshops tend to be run by pretty energized creative people who are looking for opportunities to do different things," he said. "You have to not just be a shop, but be a shop that feels like it’s a warm, welcoming, experiential place."
He added: "I’m not saying that that doesn’t exist in in other forms of retail, but it’s at the heart and soul of book selling."
Mr Bottomley, who also serves as the Association’s executive chair, emphasised that bookshops reap the benefits from their staff being acknowledged for their expertise in offering tailored recommendations. He said: "The public do often regard us as somehow expert, something like a semi-professional, rather than just a person at a till you know that there is an assumed knowledge. "
While indie bookshop numbers have shown resilience, they are navigating through turbulent times that have seen other retailers struggle with weak consumer confidence and escalating expenses. Statistics from the Centre of Retail Research indicate 13,479 store closures in 2024, averaging 37 daily.
According to the Association's annual survey, the soaring cost-of-living affecting customer spending power is a concern for 77% of its membership, with concerns about the UK economy and workforce expenditures following closely at 67% and 61%, respectively.
Meryl Halls, managing director of The Booksellers Association, praised the resilience of bookshops amidst high street decline. She said: "They should be celebrated by us all but not to the point of complacency or at the cost of action.
"This year’s Christmas trading survey of our members showed us how, in a sluggish overall book market and declining footfall, bookshops once again found a way through the situation and should act as a reminder to everyone that bookshops cannot survive only on the tenacity and resourcefulness of booksellers."