Several Greater Manchester bookshops are finalists for Independent Bookshop of the Year at The British Book Awards 2025.
This prestigious award is like the BAFTAs for books. They earned spots as regional and country finalists. A record number of shops entered this year. Seventy-two independent bookshops are finalists; these shops cover nine regions and countries.
Ten are from Northern England, and four shops are in Greater Manchester. Regional winners get announced on March 11. The overall winner will be revealed May 12, 2025. The ceremony is at Grosvenor House London.
The Independent Bookshop winner could win another award. They could also be named Book Retailer of the Year. Tom Tivnan is managing editor at The Bookseller. He said shops give hope amid tough times.
High streets see fewer shoppers and rising prices. He judges this award for years. He’s impressed by all the submissions. Shops create festivals and visit schools; they bring authors to town.
These shops sell books and much more. Independent shops are vital to their local cultures. They act as cultural lynchpins. Bookshops with passion thrive now. Greater Manchester has shops nominated for inclusivity.
They make a difference in their community. Queer Lit is in Ancoats and represents LGBTQ+ voices. They address a lack of queer books. Matthew Conford created a website for LGBTQ+ books.
He was frustrated by the lack of options. His Queer Lit store now holds 4,375 titles, and it keeps growing with more additions. The Ancoats store is huge at 7,000 square feet.
You can find memoirs, novels, and more. They also have coffee, events, and co-working spaces. House of Books & Friends also made the list. They were shortlisted last year too.
This bookshop combats customer’s loneliness. The shop opened at the end of 2022. The Manchester Club building houses them. The gunnercooke law firm started the charity.
People connect, drink coffee, and read. Events include discussions and book clubs. Simply Books is a Stockport finalist as well; it’s in Bramhall and has new owners. It’s a cafe and bookshop by day.
At night, it becomes a wine bar. They host book clubs and events. The previous owners closed in December 2023. They had the store for twenty-one years and won Independent Bookseller in 2009.
Ben, Karen, and Jess reopened Simply Books. They are a family-owned business who are thrilled to continue. Serenity Booksellers in Romiley is another finalist. Chris and Kelly Willocks opened in 2023.
It provides events and author signings. They announced a second shop in Stockport. This happened because of high demand, only two years after opening. The team hosted Alex Williams and others.
They also hosted Peter James and Kate Mosse. The shops have many books and host events. They do writing groups and story times. They created their own book club as well.
Other finalists include The Little Ripon Bookshop, Sam Read Booksellers, and Wave of Nostalgia. Pickering Book Tree is a finalist. So are Kemps Bookshop and Linghams Bookshop.
Meryl Halls directs the Booksellers Association. Independent shops foster their local communities. They bring jobs and essential foot traffic. She said the finalists are excellent, and their contribution matters.
They are cornerstones of the book industry. The North England finalists are: The Little Ripon Bookshop, Simply Books, Sam Read Bookseller, and House of Books & Friends. Wave of Nostalgia and Pickering Book Tree also get a place.
Queer Lit, Kemps Bookshop, and Linghams Bookshop are on the list. Finally, Serenity Booksellers rounds out the list.