Following the recent Parliamentary debate on ‘Children’s Access to Books’, Justin agreed to meet with the Booksellers Association to discuss further the role of local bookshops. Justin also invited Alex of Swindon’s Bert’s Books to join the meeting and provide his local expertise.
The Booksellers Association provides a vital service to their members: both established booksellers and new entrants/ start-ups. They provide support and advice on how to buy stock, insurance matters, best practice on promotions and events, and more. This meeting was an opportunity to both hear from the Booksellers Association along with the direct experience of one of their members: Bert’s Books.
Bookstores like Bert’s Books play an important role in local communities. They of course increase access to books but are also vital for our High Streets by increasing footfall. Thankfully they are bucking the general high street trend, with independent bookshops growing in number over recent years. There are now more bookshops on our high streets than at any time since 2013 with over 1000 independent bookshops across the UK.
Bookshops also offer an immense social value to the communities they operate in. Over 90% of indie bookshops work with local community groups and charities doing everything from supporting foodbanks and refuges to organising local literary festivals and events to combat loneliness.
Moreover, 85% of bookshops work with their local primary schools. As well as selling them books, they offer support such as helping teachers create booklists for classes, bringing authors into schools for readings and donating books for events such as World Book Day. Most bookshops also work with secondary schools, providing valuable work experience to young people in their communities.
The Booksellers Association asked Justin to push for a greater link up with School’s, who are big purchasers for their own school libraries. Justin is raising this matter directly with the School Library Association, which is also based in Swindon.
In addition, the Booksellers Association highlighted the need for further changes around rent renewals. Fitting out bookshops is expensive, so long-term certainty with leases is of the utmost importance. This and the wider principle of protection for retailers around lease renewal is currently being reviewed in Parliament and is something that Justin will feed in directly.
Bookshops play an important role on our high streets and in our local communities more generally. As such, it is vital that they are given the support they need to continue to flourish.
