30.06.08. A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on a woman at a Stow-on-the-Wold bookshop. The 49-year-old woman was found unconscious and covered in blood at Wychwood Books, a secondhand and antiquarian bookshop in Sheep Street at around 12.30pm on Saturday. It is believed she was attacked with a hammer ... more  Add a comment

24.06.08. A secondhand bookshop owner in Barnard Castle has been jailed for possessing and distributing thousands of images of child abuse ... more  Add a comment

18.06.08. Although the days of axle bending loads of books, hoovered up on regular forays to the more distant parts of the UK, are long gone, we still manage to buy a book or two on holiday. And the fond hope remains that the profits from our purchases will go some way to covering our meager expenses ... more  Add a comment

13.06.08. I was sorry to hear from Jenny at Just Books in Truro that The Bookshop and Archway Bookshop in Falmouth had both recently closed.  Add a comment

09.04.08. Priestpopple Books, which deals in second hand and antiquarian literature, will be shutting up shop in the first week of July, when a closing down sale will be held ... more  Add a comment

03.04.08. Norfolk's weather was relatively kind, so I spent less time in the area's bookshops than I might otherwise have done. Anyway, I will post an update on the shops I did manage to visit, as soon as time allows.  Add a comment

03.04.08. Roger Leverdier points out that we missed out Michael's Bookshop, in Ramsgate, Kent. And I've recently added Boldwood Books in Bexhill-on Sea, East Sussex, and Tim Smith Books in Horncastle, Lincolnshire.  Add a comment

26.05.08. I'm off for a few days in Norfolk, so no news or updates until my return on June the 3rd.  Add a comment

26.05.08. Alan Murray writes: "I must thank you for drawing this great local resource (DG Clarke Books) to my attention. I have lived in the borough of Enfield for over fifteen years and never knew it existed. It's a wonderfully old-fashioned and chaotic place, with books everywhere in piles and (mostly) in no particular order. It requires a bit of patience, therefore, but that patience is often rewarded with some great discoveries. It's also incredibly cheap, with many paperbacks at 50p and hardbacks for £1."  Add a comment

23.05.08. A rare copy of Sherlock Holmes' first mystery, discovered by two volunteers at Harrogate's Oxfam store, has raised £15,500 for the charity at auction ... more  Add a comment

22.05.08. We recently added a new bookshop in Sedbergh, Henry Wilson Books, who specialise in antiquarian, second-hand and new books on transport and industrial history.  Add a comment

22.05.08. Richard Simms writes: "I went there (Quinto of Great Russell Street) about two weeks ago to find the shop completely empty of stock and obviously permanently closed. This was a bit of a surprise to me, as it was opposite the British Museum and I'd somehow always assumed it would survive. The Quinto Bookshop in Charing Cross Road is still there."  Add a comment

20.05.08. John Westwood has sixty Portsmouth tattoos on his body, the club crest shaved on to his head and ‘PFC’ engraved on his teeth ... and he now runs his father’s antiquarian and secondhand bookshop in Petersfield, Hampshire ... more  Add a comment
    What an interesting creature that guy is. I love it when people step outside the "norm", and dare to be different. The Portsmouth guy definitely doesn't look like a bookseller, it's just another way with his uniqueness. - MJK (a small-time bookseller) 20.05.08.

14.05.08. A second-hand bookshop in my High Street said that it could not buy some old books from me, but that it would take them off my hands for nothing to stop me giving them to a nearby charity shop that is killing the bookseller's custom by being able to acquire books at no cost.
    What price on preserving the fast-fading commercial life of our high streets, versus the odd mosquito net here or there? ... more  Add a comment
    My observation is that in central London people sell their house and use the free pick-up service that Oxfam provides. This saves the hassle of hawking books around or feeding them into a recycling bin. They are wise enough to cherry pick themselves but often they just want rid of everything secure in the knowledge that any gem found is easily offset by the loot they will get for the house. In addition,there is the question of paying for some guilt by giving to charity, particularly if Catholic! - JJ 20.05.08

13.05.08. Richard discovered that Catmax Books in Diss had closed towards the end of last year. Stephen Besley, who ran the shop for a couple of years, has now amalgamated its stock with his father's, at Besleys Books in Suffolk. On a brighter note, Richard also found a bookshop we had missed, Church Street Books, in the same town.
  Add a comment

08.05.08. Simon recently traveled all the way to the Victoria Bookshop in Bere Alston, Devon, only to find it closed. They had changed shop's opening hours, and are now open on Mondays, but not on Wednesdays. Bernard also reports that the Canterbury Bookshop has changed its opening times.
    I can only urge bookshop owners to keep us up-to-date with their opening hours - it costs nothing and avoids alienating potential customers. And thanks to all of you who, like Simon and Bernard, take the trouble to notify us so that other visitors are spared this inconvenience.  Add a comment

06.05.08. It's best known to many as an Aladdin's cave of a bookshop, so cluttered with paraphernalia that it was difficult to negotiate your way in to look around. But the former Scientific Anglian Bookshop in St Benedict's Street, Norwich, has been given a £220,000 makeover and transformed into a ... wedding shop! ... more  Add a comment

01.04.08. Recently added: Bestsellers in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, and an Oxfam Bookshop in Marlborough, Wiltshire.  Add a comment

29.04.08. The ever-resourceful Richard has discovered the recently opened Black Flame Books in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He also stumbled into Cabaret, a Jewellery and collectables shop in Edinburgh, which the owner says is "being taken over by old books".  Add a comment

24.04.08. From May 5th Inprint's bookshop in Stroud will be closed on Mondays. We will, of course, be delighted to see you Tuesday - Saturday, 10.00 - 5.00, or at other times by appointment.  Add a comment

22.04.08. Steve Newman writes: "Sad to report that I called on Antique City Bookshop, Walthamstow, Saturday to find the owner was shifting out the last of his stock. So ends the last bookshop in East London".  
    I can't even find a charity bookshop in the area, but if anybody knows of somewhere we've missed, please let us know.   Add a comment

18.04.08. The Barnard Castle bookshop at the centre of a child porn inquiry shuts ... more   Add a comment

18.04.08. Geoffrey Thorpe reports that Night Owls Bookshop in Southsea has moved from 125 Albert Road, to 123. All other details remain the same. And once again I have to thank Jeremy Briggs for his update, and further reviews of the bookshops in Northern Ireland.   Add a comment

15.04.08. The owner of All Things Books, has admitted making and distributing child pornography at his shop in the North-East market town of Barnard Castle ... more   Add a comment

12.04.08. Grove Rare Books is located in a lovely 18th century building, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and I remember being impressed when I briefly visited a few years ago. However, somehow I didn't get round to listing them - an oversight I'm pleased to say has now been remedied.  Add a comment

08.04.08. Many thanks to the staff of the Weston Super Mare Tourist Information Office for telling us about the closure of Oxfam's Books & Music shop in West Street. And Bernard Dixon reports that Pickering's Books in Edinburgh will close at the end of the month, and until then all books are half price.  Add a comment

04.04.08. Travel and book browsing come together nowhere better than in the scenic landscapes of provincial Britain ... more  Add a comment

03.04.08. Secondhand bookshop owner Clive Woods, who was locally known as "Mr Saltaire", has been laid to rest on his beloved tramway ... more  Add a comment
    Many thanks for including the piece about Clive's last resting place and the accompanying well deserved tribute. I called many times at Clive's Saltaire shop in the 1980's and 1990's and always enjoyed my visits. He had a 'community' type of bookshop but there was always intelligent and interesting material to be had. On days when there were not many items to be found that I fancied buying with a view to turning a profit on them there was sure to be at least one book that I had to purchase to read myself with profit.
     Clive was a very straight and helpful colleague and as a good source of information on booktrade news and chat. Visiting his shop did have a couple of drawbacks if you wanted immediate attention or superquick service. As I walked through the door he was invariably on the telephone or talking animatedly over the counter with a fellow denizen of Saltaire grumbling about the iniquities of planners, council committees or any of a wide variety of folk involved in conservation, development and related issues. Clive would not break into these conferences for mere commerce.
     But this was no mere idle talking shop. It was immediately evident that Clive was a pivotal person in getting things done. Some secondhand bookshops are a social centre for lonely and disorientated souls but Falcon Books of Saltaire was more in the old radical tradition and became a rallying point for those who wanted to better their community even if it meant protracted battles with the authorities and vested interests. Booksellers, printers and publishers were once perceived as a great threat to the establishment and Clive was in this stream rather than a purveyor of bestsellers to keep the populace happy.
     When it came to settling up time another ritual commenced. Clive had a long code in every book containing many numerals, letters and slashes. From what I could glean, this enabled him to see when he had bought the book, in what batch, what number it was within that batch and what buying price he had allocated to it. More than once I had my fingers crossed that I would get back to my motor before the traffic warden as Clive meticulously copied every jot and tittle of each code into his sales ledger. It could be very frustrating to endure this but, at the end of the day, it completed the impression he created of being a very organised, thorough and totally reliable burgher.
    I was very sad when Clive gave up his shop and suffered serious illness but he persevered and there was a further productive spell of life after bookselling. Thanks Clive for those happy memories of pre-internet bookselling days. - Pierce Roche 07.04.08.

01.04.08. Bibliopola, in Alfies Antique Market, NW London closed at the end of last year, and Stephen Foster says he bought the stock.  Add a comment

28.03.08. An early copy of a rare Sherlock Holmes story has been discovered by two volunteers at Harrogate's Oxfam store ... more  Add a comment
    Not so much an early copy of a rare story, as the first appearance in print of the first Sherlock Holmes story. Even without the covers and in less than good shape, it should make in excess of £5,000 at auction. - Richard 01.04.08

27.03.08. Dave Lee says that there is a notice on the door of R F Barratt's shop in Matlock, Derbyshire, announcing that the shop has closed, and the business is transferring to Wirksworth. I can't contact them by email or phone, so I don't know if this means that they are planning to open another shop, or not.  Add a comment

25.03.08. When a scruffy looking copy of Graham Greene's Rumour at Nightfall appeared in a box of donated books at Oxfam's bookshop in St Giles, Oxford, Andrew Chapman - one of the volunteers there - thought it might be worth a second look ... more  Add a comment

25.03.08. Rumours that premises formerly occupied by Fogarty's bookshop were to be taken by a charity swept the town as Honiton's tenth charity shop, operated by the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, opened in a former newsagent's ... more   Add a comment

20.03.08. Hans Loef passes on the following from the Ibookcollector news letter: "Unsworth's Booksellers announce the closing down sale of their second-hand & remainder shop at 101 Euston Road, commencing Monday 17th March and ending Saturday 29th March. All books will be at half price, including many on consignment from Omega Books and Beaumont Travel Books."  Add a comment

19.03.08. Mellon's Books, in the Enterprise Centre, Eastbourne, will close its doors for the final time on Saturday, March 22nd ... more  Add a comment

18.03.08. D Cowan writes: "Close your eyes and you can forget the near Dickensian social conditions of Rochdale. Whether you call it an Oxfam Bookshop or not, it is nothing more or less than a traditional second hand bookshop, where browsers can spend their lunchtimes away from the noise and tack of this East Lancs regenerating town. Well worth a visit. It is light, spacious, with occasional jazz playing, a small area to read at your leisure. And threatened with closure. Please sign the petition trying to prevent this."  Add a comment

10.03.08. In Bury St Edmonds, Jon Morgan found Churchgate Books to be both customer and child friendly, but was less than impressed by the Mind Charity Bookshop.

04.03.08. Mike Jobling has just discovered Albany Books and the Age Concern Bookshop, both in Market Harborough ... more  Add a comment

03.03.08. Not an obscure title by the well-known author Helen Bannerman - but nevertheless largely made of paper - "Good Bye! Sambo" resulted in our bookshop being visited by the police last week … but I’m getting ahead of myself ... more  Add a comment
    Attaboy Mike! Don't let the PC police squelch your livelihood! - Karl Armens. 04.03.08
    Good for you to stand your ground, although I did gulp at the word Sambo! It is pretty ghastly. However, I better watch out that the Boys in Blue don't get wind of my album by the Last Poets- no doubt it would be defined as racist because I, a white woman, have it in my possession. In fact I worked with black heroin addicts in 1969-73 and they introduced me to said album. In fact if people bothered to listen to the words carefully they might gain a better understanding. Trouble is the pc brigade (and those who love to play the race card) don't look into these things as you state so well in your article. Thanks - Diana. 04.03.08

25.02.08. Paris is one of Europe's priciest cities, which is why many of its booksellers fled south in search of affordable locations. They found it in a picturesque village on the Loire River, now known as the "city of books" ... more  Add a comment
    This article is total bullshit. The guys who own the shops in La Charite have been trying to lure dealers down there for years, without success. A dealer friend considered it, but found the prospect of winter in that damp valley too much to bear. In summer, it comes to life, briefly, but most of the year it's desolate, with all the shops closed, and the others back in Paris - which is where the buyers are. John Baxter. Paris 26.02.08.
    I was interested in the fact that La Charite has 30 books to every person in town. Is this a new way to judge a towns book shops. If it is, Penzance would like to stake it's claim. I calculate that we have very nearly 2 books to every person in town! - Kelvin Hearn. 26.02.08

23.02.08. Champion charity book seller Mary Edgerton aged 93 admits she has lost count of the number of books she has sold from her barn in Orford, near Woodbridge ... more   Add a comment

23.02.08. Roger Leverdier reports that All Books in Maldon, Essex, closed in January. The shop has been cleared of its contents and furnishings and the building sports a ‘sold’ sign.   Add a comment

19.02.08. Geoff writes "Just thought I'd drop a note to say we visited Sedbergh a few weeks ago and were really surprised by the improvement. All the bookshops were worth a visit and a couple of new ones that had opened since we last went, have made the trip worthwhile. In particular Westwood Books new shop is very good, large, on two floors and light, with a very good stock on all subjects. It has put Sedbergh on the map now for book collectors."  Add a comment

14.02.08. Steve Douglas writes with commendable honesty: "I believe I have dropped a clanger in informing you some weeks back that Abacus Books in Altrincham had closed." It appears that that Steve mistook it for an independent new bookshop in the town that had just closed, so I'm pleased to be able to tell you that Abacus Books has now rejoined the ranks of the living.  Add a comment

11.02.08. Jon Morgan reports that My Back Pages in SW12 was closing just before christmas, due to a rent rise. The owner was moving some stock to his new bookshop in Tonbridge as well as seeking alternative premises. We are also indepted to Jon for his Cambridgeshire and Essex bookshop reviews.
    He adds: "There are a large number of charity shops with some really good book sections in Colchester. The best was British Heart Foundation with extensive stock and well organised. Most can be found in Short Wyre Street and Long Wyre Street."  Add a comment

05.02.08. Unaware of TheBookGuide, Alan Ollington recently tried to visit PTO Books in Orpington, Kent - only to find that the business had closed down. Having now discovered our site, he wonders if anyone knows what happened to PTO's massive stock?
    On a more upbeat note, Henry Middleton has been kind enough to send a few comments on some of the bookshops that you can still visit in Kent.  Add a comment

02.02.08. Although it's now fairly clear (at least in the UK) that the secondhand bookshop is NOT about to disappear, commentators continue to wistfully allude to a "Golden Age" of the secondhand bookshop. I'm intrigued by when this might have been - as depending on who's reminiscing - it could have been almost any postwar decade. I'm researching the development of the secondhand bookshop trade in the second half of the twentieth century, and would welcome your recollections.  Add a comment

24.01.08. We receive on average 1,000 spam emails a day, and although we check our spam filter regularly, I'm afraid it's easy to miss occasional real emails. So I'm really greatful to those of you, like Richard Jones, who take the trouble to send another. We really do want to hear from you, and if all else fails, you can always contact us on 01453 759 731.
     It's a problem for everyone sending email, so here are some useful tips on how to stay out of spam filters.  Add a comment

17.01.08. Rare Book Review reports that Alfred Frederic Wallis, former member of the A.B.A. and a respected bookseller for forty years, died on December 23rd 2007, aged 85.  Add a comment

14.01.08. Mike Jobling passed J A Heacock in Hyde, Cheshire the other day. He thought it looked promising, but couldn't check it out at the time. When I finally got to speak to Mr Heacock and asked about his opening times, he would only say that he was "open a lot". Best to ring first!  Add a comment

14.01.08. Ibookcollector reports that Peter Jolliffe of Ulysses bookshop in Museum Street, London, died on 27th December. A well known, likable and knowledgeable bookdealer, he will be sadly missed - not only by his shop customers but also those who visited him at the monthly PBFA London book fairs, where he had been a regular exhibitor.  Add a comment

08.01.08. Ansible 246 reports that "Marion Van Der Voort, who with her husband Richard ran the well-known UK sf bookshop At The Sign of the Dragon for 35 years, died at home on 26 December. She was hospitalized with double pneumonia from early October to Christmas Eve, and had seemed to be recovering. All sympathy to Richard."
    Jeremy Briggs adds; "At The Sign Of The Dragon was originally in London before they moved to Wigtown where they became part of the then excellent AA1 Books, before retiring and moving their stock to their own house. I met her a number of times over the years and she was a very pleasant and knowledgeable lady who will be missed far beyond Wigtown".  Add a comment

04.01.08. HullBooks.com has closed, with owner Ian Barfield claiming that the arrival of a large Oxfam Bookshop effectively put him out of business.
    It's not difficult to see how vulnerable secondhand bookshops are to the arrival of a corporate retailer which has the unbeatable advantage of free stock and labour. Perhaps the days of independent general secondhand bookshops in major town and city centres are numbered?  Add a comment

01.01.08. On a recent trip to West London Steve Newman was sad to find that two of the shops listed in our guide had gone. Portobello Books in W10 had a notice in the window thanking everyone for their custom over the years, and adding that the stock has been bought by Skoob Books. Books for Amnisty in Eversholt Street had a similar notice in their window refering customers to their shop in Hammersmith. On the upside, Steve also noticed that we didn't have Ventnor Rare Books on the I.O.W. listed.  Add a comment

News from 2007