An independent bookshop tour of the UK

Jeff Bezos doesn’t need any more of your hard-earned cash. Give it to the independents and take a road trip around the UK…

Persephone Books, London

Persephone is not only a Bloomsbury haven, stocked full with elegant grey-jacketed books with beautifully designed endpapers. It is also a publisher, reprinting neglected writers by twentieth-century female authors.

Storysmiths, Bristol

A new player on the indie book scene, this South Bristol bookshop has already made its mark, with a superb children’s section and a series of events with exciting authors. It also does monthly book subscriptions. Yes. Please.

The Second Shelf, London

This tiny Soho bookshop has been making waves in balancing the gender bias in the antique book world, selling rare books and first editions by women. Freya wrote about it for Suitcase Magazine — go on, have a read.

Toppings & Company, Bath/Ely/St Andrews/Edinburgh

Any bookshop that offers you free tea and coffee while you browse is a hit with me. With four stores across the UK, Toppings is renowned for its cosy corners, diverse range of books and superbly well-informed booksellers.

Troutmark Books, Cardiff

Slightly more rough and ready than some of the other bookshops listed, Troutmark is a second-hand book lover’s paradise. Tucked away just down the road from the oldest record shop in the world, you can waste hours here.

The Open Book, Wigtown

Fancy trying your hand at being a bookseller? This shop in Scotland’s national book town is run by guests, providing something of a unique holiday experience. Heads up, though. It’s fully booked for the next four years.