Bookshops are heralding strong Christmas trading, with retailers including Foyles and Waterstones reporting increased like-for-like sales despite the disruption caused by flooding and the threat of the Paris terror attacks deterring city centre shoppers.

Waterstones’ book sales were up by a “modest” single digit percentage in the Christmas period, although the company cannot reveal its exact figures until later, it said. Foyles, Stanfords, Daunt Books, Dubray Books in Ireland, and the independents completing The Bookseller's Christmas Trading Survey have also reported healthy like-for-like...