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Neill Denny

Neill Denny is editor-in-chief of The Bookseller. He will be blogging on the book business and on how the print magazine is produced each week.

Waterstone's back in the big time

19.09.08

At times the book world can seem a little detached from the wider world, and that is never more true than this week--we celebrate success and progress from a range of businesses, while all around us the great engine of capitalism is showing clear signs of distress.

But join with us as we applaud the winners of The Bookseller Retail Awards, announced last night--there will be plenty of time over the months ahead to worry about the state of the wider economy.

The awards' main theme is the revival of two of the trade's biggest names, W H Smith and Waterstone's. Between them they picked up five awards, including High Street Chain of the Year, General Retailer of the Year and Bookselling Company of the Year--the overall award which Waterstone's picked up in a three-way shoot-out with WHS and Play.com.

For Waterstone's, the awards cap a long, steady process of improvement under Gerry Johnson, who should take much personal satisfaction from the triumph.

When he took over from the irascible Brian McLaughlin in early 2005, the chain was a very different business.

Ottakar's has been successfully taken over; stores have been refreshed and sharpened; the short-sighted decision to hand the web brand to Amazon has been reversed and Waterstone's own site has been launched; over a million people have joined the new loyalty scheme, finally giving the business the customer insight it needs to survive; and relations with publishers have been largely restored. Last Christmas' like-for-likes were solid (up 4%)--and although recent figures have been less stellar, they largely fall outside the May-to-May period on which the awards are given.

W H Smith has been a quieter success story, but considerable progress is being made there too. Books are outperforming the rest of the business, while smarter marketing is targeting individual customer groups far better, building huge market share in key titles.Indies took their share of the glory. The Norfolk Children's Centre won the Green retail award: it's a business so green, it could act as a model for any environmentally aware business. The other triumphant indies are the inspirational Watermill in Aberfeldy, a stunning, high-quality store, and Tales on Moon Lane in London, a truly inspirational children's indie.

Tough times may be looming, but we go into them confident of the calibre of our best retailers.

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By Tiggy

Largely because there is little opposition left. Rather like winning the Best Political Party Award in China.

19 Sep 08 13:13

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By Ray Hollingsworth

The Bookseller Retail Awards? 'The Big Time?' Get real. Corporate / trade nonsense. Get a proper job.

19 Sep 08 15:35

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By Ray Hollingsworth

The Bookseller has less street cred than The Beano publishing pulp slush trash on this scale.

19 Sep 08 15:38

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By jez

good to see the usual positive comments me thinks Ray may have missed out on school's prize day once upon a time

19 Sep 08 19:46

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By I think I speak on behalf of all of us...

Did you know that 'Ray Hollingsworth' is an anagram of 'hollow trashy ring'?

20 Sep 08 10:03

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By Ray Hollingsworth

Hey Guys...yes it's cynical from CO1...but I say it as I feel it...as for prizes...never enter anything...but Dirty Blonde at the Cash Machine got me a very decent deal with Channel 4...so bite on that...mucho peace...x...PS...HATE THE AWARD NETWORKING SHAMS AND THE ARSE LICKERS..

20 Sep 08 16:04

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By Perception Books

Ray, The Bookseller's retail awards honour publishers and retailers, and the mag champions the causes of and gives column inches (not many but more than anyone else) to small publishers and bookshops (like me) on a weekly basis. Something no-one else (esp with the demise of PN) does. Sure, Waterstone's picked up the biggest prize on the night - but I think they deserve a little recognition for what, in my views, has been a good year with some positive changes for them - they've finally gone back to being more of a booksellers and less of an arm of HMV (and they're our biggest competition!). With attitudes like yours, Ray, its no wonder you're not published by a proper publishing house.

20 Sep 08 17:29

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By Ray Hollingsworth

A proper publishing house? Don't need one. Have my own which led to the birth of Sparkfilms. Having said that, am indebted to the likes of Scott Pack who got me shelf space and sales back in 2000. Sorry, but my attitude remains. I like to work alone...but unlike many published writers I earn a very decent living from it...as you may be aware.

20 Sep 08 18:48

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By Steerforth

'Ottakar's has been successfully taken over'? It might have been from a purely operational point of view, but most ex-Ottakar's people quickly became disillusioned with their new employer. Over 60% of Ottakar's managers have resigned and I doubt whether there are many Ottakar's booksellers left. What a waste of all that talent, creativity and enthusiasm. Waterstone's may pay lip service to local autonomy and innovation, but it is still a very centralised, over-regulated company which places too much emphasis on compliance. I've yet to meet an ex-Ottakar's person who wouldn't like to turn the clock back, even if it meant seeing Ottakar's fold.

09 Oct 08 20:52

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By BSEL009532

Both The Bookseller and The Booksellers Association sold their souls some time ago to the chain stores - this much is beyond argument. I advise all independent booksellers to cancel their subscriptions to both - they are clearly run by the same philistines that have created the economic mess we are in i.e. the "nothing matters but the bottom line" mentality. Neil Denny has clearly never read a book to inspire any greater vision so what the hell is he doing editing a magazine that pretends to represent bookselling? (other than, of course feathering his nest and sucking up to the "big guns". Pathetic.

13 Nov 08 18:35

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By philip.jones@bookseller.co.uk

BSEL009532, how many people can you insult in one small box? We at The Bookseller are as passionate about books, bookshops (including indies) as I'm sure the folk at the BA are: just because you take a different view about the awards is no reason to be so intemperate.

14 Nov 08 13:25

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By BSEL009532

To Philip Jones I really don't care who you are but it's interesting that you want to portray yourself as one "of the folks" at the BA and The Bookseller. 'Only us nice, harmless folks here' (creepy, scary or what?). On a par with "I'm a straight sort of guy" from Tony B(liar). Intemperate, moi? I've been a bookseller for 45 years and I think I probably know a little more about it than you, my friend. In my time, I've seen the independent bookshop sector decimated, "The Bookseller" sell it's soul to the chains and The Bookseller's Association go through its periodic insincere public hand-wringing while allowing itself to be totally dominated by the same god-awful people. Frankly, you'd have thought that in the current economic climate the moronic worship of mammon might have dissipated somewhat, but then of course morons aren't responsive to feedback however insistent. On one level, I don't care because I have kept my personal integrity and not gone for the "quick buck" - on the other hand it really sticks in the craw to be lectured on temperance by an apparatchick (probably fresh - and that is the right word - from University: was it Cardiff?) at a magazine that has the absolutely breathtaking gall to call itself "The Bookseller". What do you or your employers know about it, for heaven's sake? How many can I insult in one small box? What have you got? Bring 'em on.

18 Nov 08 16:05

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By A B Seller

BSEL009532, the BA and The Bookseller both merely reflect, with different motives admittedly, the book industry. In the case of The Bookseller, not just bookselling but publishing, librarianship also - and given they ruffle the feathers of many an MD and branch manager (myself included in the past!) I would suggest they are not quite as sycophantic as you suspect.

The BA is out to represent its members of which chains stores are a part. That's the world we live in and there is little to do to change it, not least a pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face. Although I sometimes question the BA's stance on certain issues (on Amazon/Google to name but one), I believe they have been a great asset to booksellers over the years. Although I have not been a bookseller for 45 years, I have been a bookseller (and branch manager) for 10 years, I have witnessed the internet, the chains and the supermarkets steal market share and make it increasingly difficult for a local bookstore to keep afloat.

But there is only ONE way to stay afloat in this age as a bookseller - to manage margins and "the bottom line" you mock in your previous post. Sadly, the independent sector has been decimated but the blame doesn't lay at the foot of the BA and The Bookseller - these two bodies merely have to adapt and reflect the changing bookselling environment, much like the successful indie bookstores are doing today

20 Nov 08 10:36

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By BSEL009532

Oh Brave New World! A "branch manager" of some 10 years experience accuses a successful independent bookseller of being "pig-headed". Sunbeam - get a life. If you are ever fortunate enough to have a reality check you might realise your status as a craven EMPLOYEE doesn't qualify you to speak in highfalutin business terms about "managing margins", "the bottom line", "staying afloat" etc. When you have the courage to throw off the security blanket of paid employment, it's just possible we might begin to have some sort of dialogue. In the meantime I suggest you continue to stack shelves, look literary and dream of being the thrusting entreprenurial type.

20 Nov 08 17:23

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