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Booksellers Association highlights need for independent bookshops such as The Holbeach Bookshop and Bookmark in Spalding




The importance for independent bookshops for the high street and the pivotal role they play in the community has been highlighted by traders.

A report released by the Booksellers Association (BA) showed that 45 independent bookshops, including Larkbooks in Lincoln, opened in the UK and Ireland last year - compared to 51 in 2023.

Although data collected by the British Retail Consortium revealed Christmas trading was more challenging due to ‘declining footfall in the wider high street’, it showed independent bookshops outperformed the wider retail sector which saw 37 shop closures per day in 2024.

CANVA 3 bookshops
CANVA 3 bookshops

South Holland is lucky enough to have two independent book shops which are bucking the trend — and their role is particularly key given the wider struggles being felt by traders in the district at the moment.

Trade at Bookmark in Spalding was boosted thanks to customers purchasing books, vouchers and festive gifts from October until December - while The Holbeach Bookshop survives using a team of volunteers and having low overheads.

Booksellers in independent shops like this offer customer service and ‘something different’ to bigger retailers such as supermarkets and newsagents.

Sarah Holgarth, manager at Bookmark in Spalding. PHOTO: JENNY BEAKE
Sarah Holgarth, manager at Bookmark in Spalding. PHOTO: JENNY BEAKE

And Bookmark manager Sarah Holgarth agrees.

She said: “We provide a personal service.

“I buy for my customers whereas big retailers buy in bulk which is how they are able to put on those big deals.

A monthly book club in Bookmark, Spalding attracts 30 members. PHOTO: JENNY BEAKE
A monthly book club in Bookmark, Spalding attracts 30 members. PHOTO: JENNY BEAKE

“You don’t necessarily become a bookseller to become rich - with costs and rent, the financial margin is minimal.

“We are hand-selling books and building relationships.”

Bookmark also serves as a community hub, chatty cafe and has a gift shop.

The Holbeach Bookshop. PHOTO: CHARLES BAKER
The Holbeach Bookshop. PHOTO: CHARLES BAKER

It also provides raffle prizes, supports schools with World Book Day and hosts literary events.

The shop also runs a monthly book club which attracts some 30 people and has a waiting list to join.

Social prescribers send people who are looking for hobbies, connection and friendship to Bookmark which has been in business for 27 years.

Sarah added: “During covid people turned to reading to escape and people come from a way away to visit and say what a nice place it is.

“I would like to think that people benefit from coming to the shop.”

The Holbeach Bookshop is a not for profit organisation which aims to sell donated books at affordable prices with any profit made given to other charities.

Covid caused a great deal of struggle to the bookshop and its ethos of ‘keeping books on the shelves’ - but the team of volunteers have ensured the Park Road store continued to trade.

Charles Baker chairman said: “Although The Holbeach Bookshop is not a part of the Bookseller Association we agree that trading conditions have been tough especially since Covid.

“In The Holbeach Bookshop case, our resilience has been helped by the fact that not only are we a not for profit company but our costs are very low as well - for example we have no paid employees, only volunteers.

“Bookshops are valuable to the high street as they not only promote footfall but also raise the cultural diversity of the town, encourage literacy and often provide a community hub.”

The shop will be running a half price sale on for the whole of February.

In both Stamford and Oakham, bookworms are blessed with long-standing retailer Walkers Books, Bourne Bookshop is a firm favourite and Woodhall Spa is also home to The Book Fayre.

Meryl Halls has celebrated independent bookshops.

The managing director of Booksellers Association said: "Each year, our membership numbers tell us a story of resilience with bookshops bucking the trend of high street decline through the graft, creativity and passion of booksellers.

“Bookshops provide local jobs, enrich local communities and fuel local economies; they bring social cohesion and cultural capital to their towns and villages; they bring authors to schools, readers to high streets, donations to charities and support to literacy programmes.

“They should be celebrated by us all but not to the point of complacency or at the cost of action.”

The association supports booksellers including WHSmith, Eason, Dubray and Waterstones including Foyles and Blackwells and more than 1,000 independent bookshops.

Ms Halls added: “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.

“We must act as an industry to help reward and consolidate their resilience and creativity and secure the next generation of bookshop owners and booksellers.”



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