Book Shops in the UK
A birthday present chosen by someone who has read it, the new release on the day, a children's section worth an hour, a second-hand shelf to lose yourself in, or an out-of-print title tracked down: find a local bookshop (or book store) people love.
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Guides & advice for book shops
Finding a good bookshop in the UK
An independent bookshop is a recommendation you can trust, in a building. The booksellers have read the stock, will find the right book for a nine-year-old who has just finished the series, and can order almost anything in print for collection the next day or two, at the cover price and often with a loyalty scheme, which is quicker than most people expect. Around the books sit the events — author evenings, children's story times, book groups, school visits — that make a shop part of the town rather than just a retailer.
Second-hand and antiquarian bookshops are a trade of their own: shelves of paperbacks at a pound or two, the local history section nowhere else has, first editions and signed copies, and dealers who buy books as well as sell them and who will value a collection. Many independents mix new and used, and many run online listings for the rare stock, so the shop with the book you have been hunting for may be closer than you think.
The listings here show each bookshop's reviews, its specialisms and events, hours and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who does second-hand or children's books, and where readers in your town go.
What bookshops offer
New books: fiction and non-fiction, children's and young adult, local interest, with new releases on publication day and orders for anything in print, usually in one to three days.
Second-hand and rare: used paperbacks and hardbacks, local history, first editions, signed copies and antiquarian books, and buying and valuing collections.
Recommendation: booksellers who have read the stock, staff picks, book subscriptions and gift boxes, and tokens and vouchers.
Events: author talks and signings, story time, book groups, school visits and festivals, often with the café next door.
Extras: cards, stationery and gifts, coffee at some, and online ordering for collection or post.
Getting the most from a bookshop
- Ask; a bookseller's recommendation from three questions beats an algorithm.
- Order in the shop or on its website; most titles arrive in a day or two at the cover price, and many shops post.
- Join the loyalty scheme and the mailing list for events; book groups and author evenings fill up.
- For second-hand, tell the shop what you collect; dealers keep want lists and ring when it comes in.
- Selling books: ring first with what you have; shops buy selectively and pay a fraction of resale, more for rare titles.
- Use book tokens and vouchers, and buy the children's books from the people who know which ones get read twice.
Prices and second-hand values
New books sell at the publisher's price, £9 to £10 for a paperback and £16 to £25 for a hardback, with many shops discounting new releases and running loyalty stamps. Second-hand paperbacks run £1 to £4, hardbacks £3 to £10, and local history and out-of-print titles £10 to £40; first editions and signed copies are priced by rarity and condition, from £20 into the hundreds and beyond. A shop buying books pays roughly a third to a half of what it will sell them for, and takes only what it can sell.
Author events are usually free or ticketed for a few pounds redeemable against the book; book groups meet free with the month's title bought in the shop.
How do I find a good bookshop near me?+
Look at the bookshops listed for your town, see whether they sell new, second-hand or both, and read the reviews for the recommendations and the events. Go in with a question; the shop that answers it well is the one to keep going back to.
Can a bookshop order any book?+
Almost anything in print, usually for collection in one to three days, at the cover price, and many independents post it for a small charge or free over a minimum. Out-of-print titles are the second-hand trade's job; tell a dealer what you are after and they will look.
Are bookshops more expensive than online?+
New books sell at the same publisher's price everywhere, and online discounts on new releases are often matched with loyalty schemes in the shop. Where the shop wins is the recommendation, the browse and the child who leaves with a book they chose; and the money stays in the town.
Will a bookshop buy my old books?+
Second-hand shops buy selectively: ring first with a description, and expect a third to a half of the resale price for what they take and nothing for what they cannot sell. Local history, signed copies, first editions and good hardbacks are wanted; ex-library paperbacks and book club editions rarely are. Charity shops take the rest.
How do I know if a book is valuable?+
A first edition of a book that later became famous, in its dust jacket and in good condition, signed or not, is where value sits; most old books are not rare. An antiquarian bookseller will look at a collection, often free, and tell you honestly, and the trade's associations list dealers who value.
Do bookshops run events for children?+
Most independents run story times, author visits, holiday activities and school events, usually free, and many run children's book groups and reading challenges. Sign up to the shop's mailing list; the popular ones fill.
How do I get my business listed?+
It is free. Add your business in about two minutes to appear on this page and your local town directory. Upgrade to Featured for £2.99 a month to sit above the free listings.