The Slow Death of Bookshops

Supermarkets and internet killing bookshops (Daily Telegraph)

Having talked to a number of independent bookshop owners and small publishers in recent years (Dorchester has lost two second-hand and rare-book shops in the last year alone), this article strikes a chord.

One of the main complaints of one of the bookshop managers was about the charity shops, where many people choose to donate and buy secondhand books these days (for commendable reasons) without thinking how they are inadvertently killing off bookshops which have much higher rates and overheads, and much larger stocks. The supermarkets, Post Offices and open-air market stalls take much of the business, quite apart from the internet suppliers.

At a time when local libraries are under threat, as the article points out, this is a regrettable development  for bookshops generally.

I was impressed by the number of bookshops, new and secondhand, that seem to be thriving in Sherborne- probably on account of the academic focus of the town, with its substantial population of teachers and pupils; but Bridport also has a few good shops.

At least small local publishers like Roving Press and The Sundial Press have found strong niche markets for their publications, which is really encouraging.