Both bookshops will first have to compate against each other in the south west region Pictures: Hunting Raven/Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delight — Both bookshops will first have to compete against each other in the south west region Pictures: Hunting Raven/Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delight

Frome’s Hunting Raven and Bath’s Mr B’s Emporium finalists in Indie Bookshop of the Year award

Tait ap EllisFebruary 18, 20250 Comment0

TWO Somerset bookshops are competing to be crowned Independent Bookshop of the Year.

Both Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books, found nestled in Frome’s Cheap Street, and Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, found on John Street in Bath, have been put forward as south-west finalists in the British Book Awards 2025 Independent Bookshop of the Year award.

The award, organised by business magazine The Bookseller and sponsored by book wholesaler Gardners, celebrates stores that reach beyond the literary landscape and bring books to the heart of local communities.

The shops will vie to win their region first before contending for the overall prize, which will be announced when the British Book Awards ceremony returns to central London on Monday, May 12.

The overall Independent Bookshop of the Year winner will also be in the running to be crowned Book Retailer of the Year.

Nominated book shops in the south west:

Bert’s Books, Swindon bookhaus, Bristol
Falmouth Bookseller, Falmouth
FOLDE Dorset, Shaftesbury
Gloucester Road Books, Bristol
Liznojan Books, Tiverton
Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, Bath
Storysmith, Bristol
The East Gate Bookshop, Totnes
Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books, Frome

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller managing editor, said: “The last year has been a drab time for the high street with declining footfall and rising prices, but what has been underscored by our regional and country finalists is that independent bookshops are beacons of hope amid the gloom.

“I have been judging this award for a decade and a half and I have never seen such depth of quality and energy in the submissions, from the newcomers to most venerable stores.

“British and Irish indies continue to thrive, despite the overall climate, with entrepreneurship and creativity.

“These finalists are wonderfully unique and idiosyncratic, but there is a link in that all of them are not confined by the four walls of their shops – they are out in their communities organising festivals, visiting schools, bringing authors to town.

“Sure, they sell a lot of books but that is just the start: independent bookshops are Britain and Ireland’s local cultural lynchpins.”

The regional and country winners of the Independent Bookshop of the Year award will be announced on Tuesday, March 11, whilst the overall winner will be revealed during The British Book Awards ceremony.