Edinburgh independent book store named best in Scotland

An Edinburgh book store is celebrating after being crowned Scotland's Independent Bookshop of the Year.

The Edinburgh Bookshop, which is situated on Bruntsfield Place, has been named as the best independent bookshop in Scotland.

The Edinburgh Bookshop, which is situated on Bruntsfield Place, has won the prestigious award on four previous occasions, adding to its 2014 Children’s Bookseller of the Year trophy.

The Capital bookshop's latest accolate arrived as the British Book Awards revealed the regional and country winners for the 2022 Independent Bookshop of the Year Award on Wednesday.

Winning the regional category means that the Edinburgh Bookshop has now moved onto the shortlist for the Independent Bookshop of the Year award across the whole of UK and Ireland, with the overall winner announced at the British Book Awards on May 23, which will be held in London.

Marie Moser, owner of The Edinburgh Bookshop, was delighted to hear the news of yet another award.

Speaking to the Evening News, she said: “We’re delighted, especially as this is our fourth win in 10 years.

“The Scottish independent bookshop market is booming at the moment. There’s many indepedent bookshops in Edinburgh alone, so it’s a real honour to be picked as the best.

“My team are remarakable, they’re very good at what they do, and we do try and put the community at the heart of whatever decisions we’re making.

“During lockdown people were remarkable – they really were. The minute we went to ‘click-and-collect’ our customer base was there with us – and we can’t thank them enough.

“Yes, we worked really hard to deliver it, but you need to have an audience in the first place.

“I think it’s true of many indepedent bookshops, the customers have been amazing and stayed loyal.”

Sponsored by Gardners and supported by the Booksellers Association, the award celebrates nine inspiring bookshops, selected from a list of 63 finalists, which have continued to support their local communities during the past two turbulent years.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller’s managing editor, says: “This was undoubtedly the most competitive year we have ever had for Independent Bookshop of the Year, and these nine shops should feel justly proud for claiming their regional and country crowns when their fellow indies have also been flourishing."

"Although there are different models here, from longtime family-run shops to a community-run not-for-profit, the common thread is constant innovation and unwavering support for local communities.

"It may be counterintuitive to say, but we just may be in the golden age of independent bookselling.

"The last 10 or 15 years have been the most testing of times for indies as they have battled against online competition, supermarket deep discounting, rising business rates and, of course recently, a global pandemic.

"But they have met the challenges; indies are thriving and the number of shops is rising.

"Perhaps it is because they combine the old with the new: that almost unique insider knowledge and deep love of books which they can impart to readers, along with a digital savviness as indies use everything from crowdfunding to TikTok to reach customers and improve their businesses.”

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