BOOKSHOP spotlight

shining a light on the UK's best indie booksellers

This is the part of opt indie books where we celebrate an independent bookshop from across the uk & Ireland and the amazing work they're doing; highlighting the vital role indie bookshops play in their communities and on their high streets. 

Booksellers are on the front line of the industry. Faced with an endless range of choice, each & every bookshop has their own unique selection of books and their own unique way of representing & presenting them. You won't find two bookshops alike, just like you won't find two booksellers who share the same experiences or backgrounds.

A bookshop is only ever as good as its workforce, and a bookseller's knowledge & passion for books is what brings readers back to their shop time & time again. 

Each month we showcase a different bookshop & interview one of the booksellers who calls that shop home...
sometimes both literally & figuratively!

THIS WEEK...

EMILY ADSETT

THE HASLEMERE BOOKSHOP, SURREY

For our first Bookshop Spotlight of 2025, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Emily from The Haslemere Bookshop, an independent gem in the heart of the South East. We delved into the shop’s rich history and its deep connection to the local community, alongside Emily’s personal journey into the world of bookselling.

​ From the thoughtful curation of their shelves to the standout titles that have flown off the shelves this Christmas, our conversation covered all things books and more. Emily shared insight into the challenges and rewards of running an indie bookshop, as well as a glimpse into what’s coming up in 2025 for readers.

Click here for the full interview

LAST TIME...

kelsey ward

the highland bookshop, fort william

In this week’s Bookshop Spotlight, writer and manager of The Highland Bookshop in Fort William, Kelsey Ward, shares her journey from part-time bookseller to managing this Scottish literary gateway and tourist epicentre of the Highlands.

Kelsey discusses her role in shaping the bookshop’s community events and curating its collection of eclectic bestsellers and the multi-floor rabbit warren of new and secondhand reads. 

​ Discover more about Kelsey’s role, favourite books, staff picks, Christmas bestsellers, all that’s happening at The Highland Bookshop, and much more.

Read the full interview here

TAKE A LOOK BACK AT OUR PAST SPOTLIGHTS...

KATE NIXON

Novel, Sheffield

david torrans

No Alibis Bookstore, Belfast

Eloise Rowe

Falmouth Bookseller, Cornwall

helen wakefield

Edge Of The World Bookshop, Penzance

Lizzie Moss

Heron Books, Bristol

al Verey

Verey Books, Pooley Bridge

nic bottomley

Mr B's Emporium, Bath

Deborah alma

The Poetry Pharmacy, Bishop's Castle

clive judd & maria lomunno judd

Voce Books, Birmingham

alexander call

Bert's Books, Swindon

jim taylor

Lighthouse Bookshop, Edinburgh

Emma Hamlett

Collected, Durham

LOUISE ASHMORE

Read, Holmfirth

Alice Tradwell

House of Books and Friends, Manchester

​CAROLYNN BAIN

Afrori Books, Brighton

freya blyth

The Bookshop By The Sea, Aberystwyth

ROSAMUND DE LA HEY

Mainstreet Trading Company, St Boswells

Cheryl Duffield

The Little Bookshop, Leeds & Skipton

richard drake

Drake The Bookshop, Stockton

sarah shaw

The Book Corner, Halifax

mike sansbury

The Grove Bookshop, Ilkley

heather thomas

Westwood Books, Sedbergh

Tom Rowley

Backstory, London

Jonathan Taylor-Blair

Golden Hare Books, Edinburgh