Three Bristol shops—Bookhaus, Gloucester Road Books, and Storysmith—are finalists for the prestigious book award.
Bookshops are helping brighten up struggling high streets. Tom Tivnan from The Bookseller noted this, and he saw real quality in the shops’ submissions this year. He observed it from new shops to older, established stores.
These bookshops stand out because they do much more than sell books. They aren’t just stuck between shop walls; they host festivals and visit schools too. They even bring authors to town, which is very cool.
Bookhaus focuses on politics, showing Bristol’s radical side. Gloucester Road Books has a free spirit, matching the road it’s on. Storysmith provides fiction, non-fiction, and kids’ books, and they’re based south of the river.
Mr B’s Emporium in Bath is also a finalist. Griffin Books from Penarth, Wales won in 2023, but shops must win their region first. The main winner will be revealed May 12, 2025, at The British Book Awards.
Ten shops in South-West England are finalists. Bert’s Books in Swindon made the list, as did Bookhaus from Bristol. Falmouth Bookseller from Falmouth is in the running, and FOLDE Dorset in Shaftesbury is another option. Gloucester Road Books in Bristol also made the list, and Liznojan Books in Tiverton is a finalist. Mr B’s in Bath got nominated this year, along with Storysmith from Bristol. The East Gate Bookshop in Totnes and Winstone’s in Frome got nominated too.