Three Northern Indie Bookshops You Should Know About

By Jess Land, Ellen Byrne and Nathan Collett

There are many independent bookshops located across the North of England doing some amazing work. More than just bookshops, these are often important community hubs on our high streets with many selling specialist literature, organising author events and hosting book clubs. We have rounded up three of our favourites below. 

Queer Lit – Manchester

Queer Lit is an independent bookshop in Manchester that specialises in LGBTQIA+ literature. The idea for Queer Lit was born after the owner, Matthew Cornford, noticed the lack of LGBTQIA+ books available in mainstream bookshops and the frustration that many people felt as a result of this. Starting as an online shop in September 2020, Queer Lit quickly grew in popularity and moved into its first bricks-and-mortar location on Tib Street in 2021 and then eventually into a bigger space on Great Ancoats Street in 2023. The shop currently houses over 4,500 titles and is recognised as Europe’s largest LGBTQIA+ bookshop. It was also crowned the Best New Business at the 2021 North West LGBTQ+ Business Awards.

Keeping diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does, Queer Lit works to support the LGBTQIA+ community in many other ways too – selling books is only a small portion of what they do. Their Free Books for Schools programme ensures that over 100 LGBTQIA+ books are donated to UK schools every month, and the shop has also gifted 300 copies of Trans Britain to members of parliament who are making decisions that have the potential to harm the trans community. Additionally, the Queer Lit space includes a café, a co-working area and a space for events such as queer comedy nights, book clubs and open mic poetry readings – all of which are posted about on their Instagram. 

News From Nowhere – Liverpool 

In the heart of (arguably) the North’s most culturally and politically charged city lies the radical bookshop News From Nowhere. The shop was originally opened by Maggie Wellings and Bob Dent at its first location on Manchester Street in May 1974 after they noticed a distinct lack of radical literature in mainstream shops. However, its now fourth home is located at 96 Bold Street, just a short walk from one of the city’s iconic landmarks, St Lukes, otherwise known as the Bombed Out Church. News From Nowhere has been selling progressive literature since its inception, meaning that in May it celebrated fifty years of radical bookselling. Named after William Morris’s 1890 utopian-socialist novel, the shop has remained a centre for Liverpool’s left-wing political activism, particularly for the women’s liberation movement.

Run as a workers’ co-operative, News From Nowhere describes itself as a “not-for-profit radical and community bookshop” which remains “committed to social justice.” They stock a wide range of titles, both fiction and non-fiction, with a focus on topics such as anti-racism, environmentalism, feminism, LGBTQIA+, disability rights, workers’ rights and anti-capitalism. The shop is a safe space for all, and they hope that their stock “empowers and inspires people to make positive changes in the world.” Buying is available both online and in store, and they often post updates and recommendations on their Instagram.

Drop City Books – Stoke-on-Trent 

The newest venture on the list is Drop City Books – a self-described “colourful” and “radical” indie bookshop opened by Stoke local Ruth Wallbank on 7 October 2023 in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Once a student bookshop in the 1970s, then briefly a sex shop and a gym, and now a vibrant and colourful book haven, the building has been returned to its former glory. There is a wide variety of books on offer, all hand-selected by the owner. Alongside this, they also have a large children’s selection, den included, to bring joy and excitement to younger readers. 

More than just a bookshop, it also hosts a variety of events to get involved with – with activism and inclusion being at the forefront of their ethos. They often host author events, inviting them to talk through their newest releases. Most recently they hosted the editors from Daybreak in Gaza, donating all proceeds to Medical Aid for Palestinians. As well as this, they also have a monthly book club to get involved with. You can purchase both the book and a ticket to the book club where you can meet new people and chat through your thoughts on the latest pick over a glass of something fizzy. Overall, Drop City Books is a cool and unique shop nestled in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent with a real community feel about it. You can sign up to their mailing list here for a newsletter written by owner Ruth, as well as following their Instagram – both of which they often use to keep customers up-to-date on exciting events happening in the shop.