Bookshop Day 2024

By Chloe Brown, Laila Hulatt, Mollie Boardman, Faith Manalili and Megan Levick

Suddenly on Sheaf Street, Daventry

Awarded “Newcomer of the Year” by National Book Tokens in 2024, this independent bookshop proudly celebrated Bookshop Day with the help of printmaker and illustrator Angela Harding. As the only independent bookshop in Daventry, Suddenly embraced Bookshop Day with a spectacular window display created by Angela on the morning of 12 October, followed by an afternoon book signing of Angela’s book Still Waters and Wild Waves – the inspiration behind the window art. 

Photo by: Angela Harding

Instore treats in the name of Bookshop Day included 10% off on all hardbacks. They also included bookshop-exclusive tote bags designed by Angela Harding, which were available across UK bookshops as a part of the nationwide campaign #booksaremybag, featuring an adorable otter inspired by their wonderful presence within her life in Shetland. There may still be stock left in certain places if you want to show love for local bookshops, such as here. 

Collected Books, Durham

Several bookish festivals were held around Bookshop Day in 2024 including Cheltenham Literary Festival, Manchester Book Festival, Clapham Book Festival and Durham Book Festival. Durham Book Festival, organised by New Writing North, was bigger than ever this year. The festival had a jam-packed four-day schedule which boasted many famous authors. On Bookshop Day itself, Collected Books – a hidden gem of a bookshop just off of North Road – hosted two events. One of which was with a New Yorker author and creative writing lecturer at Newcastle University, Manya Wilkinson. 

Those who attended the event were let into the world of her masterpiece Lublin. Collected Books and Waterstones, Durham also celebrated Bookshop Day by treating their customers to double the stamps for their points schemes. The fun of Bookshop Day continued at the Gala theatre where there were several talks for Durham Book Festival by popular and well-known authors, such as Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding and best-selling author Jodi Picoult.

Pritchard’s Bookshop, Liverpool

To celebrate Independent Bookshop Day, Pritchard’s Bookshop gave back to their customers to show some appreciation for their continuous support. Throughout the day, free refreshments were offered, including Buck’s Fizz and brownies and there were a variety of bookish stickers for patrons to choose from. That’s not all that was free though! Spending money in the shop would also ensure you some freebies. 

If you spent £20 and £30 on adult fiction, you received an advanced proof copy and a mystery hardback fiction book, respectively. The children weren’t left out either as buying two children’s picture books ensured the child received a Kipper picture book for free.

To make the day more special for customers and add a little literary fun to the celebration, the staff at Pritchard’s Bookshop hid a golden ticket inside one of the books on the shelves. The ticket would grant the winner a voucher to Libro.fm worth £138; that’s twelve audio books!

Independent bookshops, like this one, play a vital role within neighbourhoods and their communities. This annual celebration highlights their charm, helps to support their business and shows them some much-needed appreciation.

Heron Books, Bristol

Since its opening in 2022, this small independent bookshop inside the Clifton Arcade has held many events such as author talks, book club sessions and monthly poetry readings. In celebration of Bookshop Day, Heron Books hosted readings by the award-winning poets Glyn Maxwell and Kaycee Hill. The evening set off with sparkling drinks and up-and-coming talent Hill’s reading of her debut collection Hot Sauce, a vivid exploration of identity and womanhood. 

It was followed by Maxwell’s reading of his political collection of verse, The Big Calls and his earlier book How the Hell Are You which was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Poetry Prize. If you want to check out their work, copies of their books are still available in store.

The Blue House Bookshop, York

The Booksellers Association have curated a list of exciting bookish activities and events that took place in the North last month in recognition of this year’s Bookshop Day, an annual celebration of high street bookshops in the UK. A highlight that is mentioned in the list was a children’s bookshop takeover that took place at The Blue House Bookshop in York. The independent bookshop, located on the ancient street of merchants on Bootham, specialises in “beautiful children’s books” and also offers creative writing workshops for children. 

On 12 October, their creative students between the ages of nine and thirteen, took over the bookshop, which, according to their post on X, consisted of “fairy tales, fascinating facts and loads of fun.” They encouraged people to come along with their young bookworms and hear about the children’s favourite titles, have the opportunity to meet an author and enjoy the special cakes and refreshments on offer.