In support of Independent Bookshop Week, a campaign run by the Booksellers Association that supports independent bookstores, we asked staff from the Oxford University Press UK office what their favourite independent bookstores were. We received a very enthusiastic response, and discovered that our UK staff visit and revisit indies all over the country for the love of books that these stores inspire. Here’s what our staff had to say about their favourite indies:
*****
“There’s an independent bookshop in Bicester called Cole’s. We order everything from them (including DVDs) and have done for as long as I can remember. (They had a play room out the back which I know gave my parents some peace to shop.) The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable, they can suggest excellent books and even call us up as soon as an order is ready to be collected. It’s where we queued up to buy all the Harry Potter books and it has such an amazing atmosphere that encourages children to read. (They even tweet.)”
— Alice Leigh, Marketing Assistant, Law
*****
“Maria von Trapp can keep her raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Two of my favourite things are books and cake – and Jaffé & Neale in Chipping Norton provides both of those in spades. With events throughout the year, including the Chipping Norton Literary Festival, a book club, and a huge selection of new and second hand books, it is well worth a visit. The children’s section is lovely too with plenty of choice; I always seem to come away with something I haven’t seen before! P.S. try the orange polenta cake. It’s immense.”
— Rachel Fenwick, Marketing Manager
*****
“I love many UK independent bookshops but my absolute favourite independent bookshop is based in Paris, Shakespeare & Co., because of its intimate atmosphere, tiny reading nooks, and its long literary history. Having opened in 1951, the book shop is supported by its founder, George Whitman’s philosophy: “Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise.” As a result of this, Shakespeare & Co. has helped writers and those involved in the arts by allowing them to sleep at the shop. They also host musical and literary events there, and the bookshop now has its own ‘Paris Literary Prize’ for unpublished writers. I visited in 2008 with my best friend Grace, and I bought an old copy of one of my favourite childhood books, The Waterbabies by Charles Kingsley.”
–Miranda Dobson, Marketing Assistant, Law
*****
“Hay-on-Wye is the promised land for those of us who prefer our books old and dusty. Richard Booth is the self-appointed king of ‘the Kingdom of Hay’, and Richard Booth’s Books is my favourite of the many secondhand, independent bookshops in said kingdom. It’s not quite as dusty as some, but the choice is superb, and I never fail to leave with heavy bags and a lighter wallet.”
– Simon Thomas, Marketing Executive, Oxford Dictionaries
*****
“My favourite independent bookshop is Scarthin Books in Cromford, Derbyshire. It was definitely my second home when I was growing up, and I wouldn’t like to comment on how many days I have spent in there. I am now given a time limit when we visit. There are miles and miles of book shelving. In fact they have just had to have four steel columns installed to support the weight of the 100,000 books! It is regularly listed as one of the top bookshops in the world, the staff are ridiculously knowledgeable and the café is always full of amazing cakes. What more could you want?”
— Hannah Paget, Trade Marketing Executive
*****
“Although a bit of a trek from Oxford and not quite close enough to nip in on a whim, Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights is exactly that. Tucked away in a little side street behind Bath’s main shopping street and just a stone’s throw away from the Jane Austen Centre, it’s got everything you expect from a great indie bookshop. If short on time, you can briefly browse and discover new gems from the excellent staff recommendations or (if you have more time) spend most of the day in the ‘Bibliotherapy Room’ with a hot drink and a good book. And since it’s Bath, there are of course bath tubs used for the displays.”
— Kim Behrens, Associate Marketing Manager
*****
Featured image credit: “Bookshelves,” by gpoo. CC-BY-2.0 via Flickr.
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