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The Bookseller is calling for submissions for its third Bookshop Heroes feature: an annual listing of some of the best individual booksellers in the UK and Ireland.
The list will be revealed on 16th September, just ahead of the Booksellers Association annual conference, which runs on the 18th and 19th. The BA is supporting the Bookshop Heroes feature, which will be part of a wider special issue devoted to bookselling and bookshops.
The Bookshop Heroes was initially launched in the depth of the pandemic, aiming to buoy the inspirational managers, superstar hand-sellers, innovative events gurus and canny buyers who are the heart and soul of British and Irish bookselling.
A total of 56 booksellers have been featured over the two years, ranging from chain stalwarts (Waterstones senior commercial expert Vanessa Stanfield, Blackwell’s Scotland area manager Darrell Thrush-Denning) to long-standing indie owners (Sevenoaks Books’ Fleur Sinclair; Bridge Books’ Lesley Price) and relative newcomers (Moon Lane, Catford manager Jasmine Dellimore; Maldon Books founder Olivia Rosenthall; and Little Ripon events manager Phoebe Edwards).
BA m.d. Meryl Halls said: “We’re thrilled to see the return of Bookshop Heroes for 2022. Having come through the pandemic lockdowns with a cohort of miraculous survivors, we’re now focused on continuing to build resilience and confidence among booksellers as they navigate a whole new set of challenges."
Halls added: “We all need bookshops to be sustainable for the long-term, and thriving in strong high streets and communities. Celebrating their achievements is so crucial and such a joy, and we know how important it is to shine a light on the hard, often unsung, work done by booksellers.”
Any bookseller, at any experience level, from independent, chain and online shops in the UK and Ireland, is eligible to become a Bookshop Hero. Nominations can come from managers, colleagues, competitors, customers—or booksellers themselves. Nominators may put forward as many booksellers as they like. To be considered, a testimonial of not more than 500 words outlining the individual bookseller’s achievements, and why they warrant being a Bookshop Hero, should be emailed to The Bookseller managing editor Tom Tivnan (tom.tivnan@thebookseller.com). Entries must be received by 15th August.