The Bookmark in Grantown is shortlisted for major Scottish independent honour
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Once again Strathspey is in the running for the honour of boasting Scotland’s best bookshop.
The Bookmark, on Grantown’s High Street, is on the shortlist, say the team behind The British Book Awards 2024’s independent bookshop of the year award.
The woman behind the local shop’s success, Marjory Marshall, who told the Strathy today: "It's fantastic to be shortlisted again. Fingers crossed for the big one this time!"
Her hugely popular outlet, cherished by booklovers throughout the area and well beyond for the last 17 years, will be up against some top-notch opposition, namely:
The Edinburgh Bookshop, Edinburgh; Typewronger Books, Edinburgh; Atkinson-Pryce Books, Biggar; Far From the Madding Crowd, Linlithgow; The Book Nook Stewarton Ltd, Kilmarnock; Highland Bookshop Ltd, Fort William; Ullapool Bookshop, Ullapool; Night Owl Books, East Linton and Heron & Willow of Jedburgh.
But how many of them pack boxes and boxes of books for free distribution to their local primary schools?
Mrs Marshall has for years ensured that little ones get their big chance with books.
"Lots of children can't actually come into the shop from around the rural areas and beyond – and even if they could, we couldn't fit them all into the place!
"So for a few years now my family have arranged a supply of good interesting books for the P1-P7s, with the schools either able to come here and pick up the books from all around the strath and well beyond, or some can be delivered to them.
"The main thing is that the young ones get the chance to start reading as early as possible."
Independent bookshops from across the United Kingdom and Ireland continue to thrive with creative, specialist and community-centred activities boosting sales in the face of the cost-of-living and business-rates crises,” said Tom Tiynan, managing editor of The Bookseller.
“In the largest cohort yet, there are 77 independent bookshops listed across nine different regions and countries, including 10 in Scotland,.
“The Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, sponsored by book wholesaler Gardners, celebrates stores that are at the centre of local communities, bringing passion and knowledge to the shop floor.
“One of the things that is driven home by the selection process for this award is how lucky book buyers in the UK and Ireland are as we are truly in an independent bookshop renaissance.
“This year’s cohort is one of the strongest I have seen in my 15 years judging this award. Indies have come out of the pandemic and into a cost-of-living and business rates crises, yet still through innovation and creativity thrive as never before.
“They are lynchpins for our high street, bringing jobs, footfall and communities together.”
The shops will vie to win their region before contending for the overall prize, which will be announced when The British Book Awards ceremony returns to Grosvenor House London on Monday, May 13
