News: retail

Darling Reads and Maldon Books named newcomers of the year

Indie bookshops Darling Reads in West Yorkshire and Maldon Books in Essex have jointly won the National Book Tokens Newcomer of the Year award for... Read more

W H Smith delays Cowling pay rise after shareholders object

W H Smith has delayed a £25,000 pay increase for c.e.o. Carl Cowling after 33% of voting shareholders opposed the company's remuneration plans at this... Read more

WHS High Street sees strong Christmas but group revenues slump

W H Smith's total group revenue for the 20 weeks to 16th January 2021 slumped to 59% of 2019 levels in the same period but... Read more

December lockdown hits Germany's annual sales

The German book market ended 2020 down by 2.3% across all channels in value and 5.3% in volume. Read more

Indie bookshop numbers rose again in 2020, BA stats show

The number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland has grown for the fourth consecutive year, the Booksellers Association has confirmed. ... Read more

LGBTQI+ Cipher Press opens submissions for new queer voices

New indie publisher Cipher Press has announced its #newqueervoices submissions for UK writers identifying as trans, gender non-conforming, queer, working class and as writers of colour. ... Read more

Blackwell's drops click and collect in almost all stores as lockdown hits

Blackwell's is the latest bookseller to announce it has closed its stores during the new lockdown and will not be offering click and collect, with the exception... Read more

Waterstones and Blackwell's reveal December hits

Waterstones and Blackwell's have both reported good sales for December with books by Charlie Mackesy and Maggie O'Farrell among those proving huge hits. Read more

BA welcomes support grants for shops closed by lockdown

The Booksellers Association has welcomed an announcement that shops forced to close because of England's lockdown are eligible for one-off grants of up to £9,000.... Read more

Waterstones abandons click and collect and closes its stores over lockdown

Waterstones is temporarily closing its stores owing to the latest lockdown, furloughing staff and no longer offering a click and collect service. Read more

BA urges government support over 'severe' impact of new lockdown

The Booksellers Association has warned the effect of a new lockdown could be “severe” and has called for government to support retailers.... Read more

BA picks Thorogood mystery for Fiction Book of the Month

The Booksellers Association has named The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (HQ) as its first Fiction Book of the Month for 2021.... Read more

Mixed views on click and collect as indies gear up for 'tough' lockdown

Some independent booksellers have expressed reservations about continuing with click and collect services, as England moves into full lockdown this week. Read more