The Bookseller.com

8th September 2008

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Waterstone’s and WHS face off

13.06.08 Jo Young

Waterstone’s and W H Smith will go head to head for retail supremacy after being nominated for five awards each in this year’s Bookseller Retail Awards.

The Bookseller received a record number of entries for the 13 awards, the shortlists for which are unveiled today (see right). Waterstone’s is competing for the coveted high street retailer of the year award alongside Foyles, Blackwell and Borders. It is also nominated for children’s bookseller of the year, manager of the year, best marketing campaign and the award for expanding the retail market.

W H Smith Travel’s Rob Urquart has been nominated for manager of the year and WHS has also clinched nominations for children’s bookseller of the year, best green retail initiative, general retailer of the year and best marketing campaign.

There is also fierce competition in the independent retailing categories, with eight shortlisted for the independent bookseller of the year award, and four chosen in the children’s independent category.

The Random House Group award for outstanding contribution to bookselling will recognise the work of one of the industry’s best-known names, while the Headline bookselling company of the year will be an overall winner from the general retailer, high street chain and direct to consumer category winners.

Neill Denny, chairman of judges and editor-in-chief of The Bookseller, said: “I applaud everyone who entered the awards, as the standard of entries overall has crept up again. Those who have been shortlisted have done exceptionally well already and I wish them the best of luck on awards night.”

The awards will be presented at a black-tie dinner at the Natural History Museum on 18th September. To book a table at the event, please contact Sally Greetham on 0207 420 6028 or sally.greetham@bookseller.co.uk.

THE SHORTLISTS IN FULL

Bertrams/THE Independent Bookseller of the Year

Books@Hoddesdon
One Tree Books
The Torbay Bookshop
The Watermill Bookshop
Village Books
Wivenhoe Bookshop
David's Bookshop
Simply Books

Walker Books Children's Independent of the Year

The Well Wisher Bookshop
Tales on Moon Lane
Simply Books
Mostly Books

HarperCollins Award for Expanding the Retail Market

Waterstone's
Irish Book Awards - Agile Marketing
National Year of Reading
Richard & Judy Summer Read
Orange Prize for Fiction

Usborne Children's Bookseller of the Year

Tesco
Borders
Red House
Waterstone's
WHSmith

Penguin Award for Green Retail Initiative of the Year

W H Smith
Norfolk Children's Book Centre

Bookseller Manager of the Year

Blackwell: Iain Finlayson
Borders: Guy Ramage
Waterstone's: Graham Webster
Foyles: Susan Sinclair
Lesley Gray: Independent
Rob Urquart: W H Smith Travel

High Street Retailer of the Year

Foyles
Blackwell
Borders
Waterstone's

Martina Cole General Retailer of the Year

Tesco
Sainsbury's
Jarrolds
Woolworths
WHSmith
Asda

DHL Direct to Consumer Bookselling Company of the Year

The Book Depository
Play.com
Scholastic Book Clubs
The Book People
Amazon.co.uk

The Nielsen Book Marketing Campaign of the Year

Blackwell
Books@Hoddesdon
Foyles
Waterstone's
Amazon.co.uk
WHSmith

IBS Bookmaster Supply Chain Initiative of the Year

The Book Depository
HarperCollins
Bertrams 

Retail Home Retail Awards Jo Young