Top indie bookshops for book lovers

Lose yourself in a bookstore with more – our pick of independent bookshops

Philip Pullman once described independent booksellers as ‘the lantern bearers of civilisation’ and there’s certainly something reassuringly old-fashioned about entering the hushed sanctuary of a bookstore, skimming the shelves. There’s no sense of hurrying the customer into a purchase, and there’s always the feeling that staff are not just shop assistants but fellow enthusiasts, eager to recommend material for your next must-read.

Many independent bookshops now offer much more than just books too – book clubs, author visits, literary evenings, and special reading areas for children – not to mention cafés serving up a pot of tea and scrumptious cake. Take a look at our favourites for a spot of browsing…

The Borzoi Bookshop

This lovely bookshop has been trading for more than 40 years and prides itself on having a wide and varied selection of books on offer at all times, ranging from classics to interesting new titles, including those from a range of small publishers. The team at The Borzoi Bookshop love chatting to customers and finding out their preferences, so books are often ordered with specific customers in mind. The bookshop also has a monthly book club, held at nearby Daylesford Organic farm shop.

1 Digbeth Street, Stow-on-the-Wold GL54 1BN

Booka

There’s room to breathe at Booka bookshop in Oswestry, a serene, airy space that is as much about promoting relaxation as it is about selling page-turners. ‘Books and wellbeing are at the heart of what we do,’ says owner Carrie Morris, who sees her shop as a digital detox – a place where you can take time out to chat, drink coffee, eat cake, as well as browse through the books, gifts and stationery. Their imaginative window displays alone are worth checking out!

26–28 Church Street, Oswestry SY11 2SP

Books on the Hill

If you like your bookshops to feel like old-school libraries, complete with wood panels, studded leather chairs, Turkish-style carpets and reading nooks everywhere, then you’ll love Books on the Hill. They sell carefully curated new books, second-hand reads and rare volumes which live in their ‘Curiosity Cabinet’ along with other literary ephemera. If you just can’t bring yourself to leave, there’s also a reading room and café serving great quality coffee.

1 Holywell Hill, St Albans AL1 1ER

Phlox Books

Founded by Aimée, a Northern Irish bookseller who opened the doors to Phlox Books in 2017, Phlox was originally located in Belfast in the early 1980s and owned by her parents. While the original shop no longer exists, the independent spirit now lives on in London as she seeks out diverse, unique new books. Phlox celebrates the mantra ‘books, booze, coffee’, so as well as beautiful books, it has a fully integrated bar/café serving locally roasted coffee, local craft beers and delicious wines.

159 Francis Road, London E10 6NT

Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights

This friendly bookshop in Bath has twice been named as Britain’s best independent bookshop and has something of a cult following, thanks to a refreshingly innovative approach to selling books. Staff have a ‘recommendation station’, where customers can get bespoke advice on what to read next, and there are regular podcasts with author interviews. The interior of the shop is a delight with old fireplaces, quirky displays and a welcoming children’s corner where young ones can read to Nessa the therapy dog. Mr B’s organises literary evening events with author talks, wine and buffet dinners, and hosts five free book groups in and around the shop. This is more than just a bookshop – it’s a thriving community hub.

13–15 John Street, Bath BA1 2JL

Westbourne Bookshop

There’s been an independent bookseller trading on Westbourne’s high street in Bournemouth for over 100 years. The first shop, Straken & Co, opened in 1903 and you can still see their antique sign above the current one. Westbourne Bookshop, owned by the Angel family, moved in in 1995, and is an intimate cave of a store with enthusiastic, welcoming staff and passionate regular customers who also contribute to the shop’s thriving book-review blog.

65 Poole Road, Bournemouth BH4 9BA

Leakey’s Bookshop

Housed in a beautiful Gaelic church that dates from 1793, Leakey’s Bookshop – Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop – is packed with over 100,000 volumes and has been doing business since 1979. The interior is amazing – floor-to-ceiling shelves of books line every wall and there’s a spacious mezzanine level (up a small spiral staircase) from which you can admire the whole scene. Rather daringly, the space is heated by an enormous central wood-burning stove. You can find books here for 50p or hundreds of pounds, so there’s something to suit every budget.

Church Street, Inverness IV1 1EY

Storysmith

In a city teeming with indie bookshops, Storysmith is a relatively new kid on the block but has made its mark, being awarded South West Indie Bookshop of the Year in 2023. It’s fresh and bright inside and has a fantastic range of children’s books alongside the adult selection. The dedicated staff run several book groups, numerous events and have an array of signed copies on offer. There’s also great coffee and Swedish fika to graze on as you browse.

239 North Street, Bristol BS3 1JD

The Oundle Bookshop

Originally opened in 1923, this charming store, housed in a Georgian building, has been serving ‘town and gown’ for nearly 100 years. The Oundle Bookshop has a wonderful children’s department, as well as a large fiction area and comprehensive cookery, gardening, sport, history, biography, art, religion, humour and natural history sections. There are regular book signings for local authors and open evenings for new book launches, plus the bookshop works closely with the Oundle Festival of Literature.

13 Market Place, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4BA

Persephone Books

This elegant bookshop has something of a cult following and is always worth a visit. Persephone Books sells 150 carefully selected titles – reprints of ‘neglected’ fiction and non-fiction by mid-20th-century (mostly) women writers. The chic grey shopfront matches the stylish grey book jackets on the shelves within. Each book also has beautiful patterned endpapers inspired by vintage fabrics and comes with a matching bookmark. You don’t have to go in person – shop online via the shop’s website and enjoy a wealth of fascinating blog content too, such as The Persephone Post, The Persephone Perspective and The Persephone Letter.

8 Edgar Buildings, Bath BA1 2EE

WORDS: ELLIE TENNANT