This weekends edition of The Weekend Wander has the sole purpose of encouraging you to wander along to a local bookshop and treat you or someone you love to a book. What could be simpler. That is exactly what I shall be doing as I dip into this years London Bookshop Crawl.
The London BookShop crawl is an annual event organised by Bex co founder of Ninja Book Box and author of the book blog The Armchair By The Sea. The Book shop crawl takes place in February, commonly recognised as the most depressing month in retail when the weather is generally grim and money is still a bit tight post Christmas. The aim is to connect book lovers with each other, but most importantly with independent book shops. What a fabulous idea.
A number of independent book retailers across London now take part and offer small discounts or other treats to book shop crawlers. When you sign up to the Book shop crawl you are sent a list of all the retailers taking part and a map of how to find them. Serious ‘crawlers’ can join a small guided group and ‘crawl’ together. To be an official partaker of the London Bookshop crawl you will have needed to have signed up and received an official ticket identifying you as such. Unfortunately it is now too late to do that, but there is nothing to stop you visiting you own local book shop. Most book sellers are only too happy to recommend books and chat about their wares and its a great way of supporting independent bookshops and making sure they maintain the place they deserve on our high streets and in our towns and cities. It doesn’t have to be a new book purchase either, second hand book shops are just as important. One of my favourite go to book buying shops is an Oxfam book shop. Buying a a second had book means you get a bargain, the book is passed on rather than languishing on a shelf, and the charity gets your cash.
So this weekend why not take your self out for a little wander to a bookshop near you.
I hope to visit a few book shops and shall be documenting my visits and purchases on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #LondonBookshopCrawl
Image via Candy Pop
Had a trip to Cambridge yesterday and a trip to Heffers – always a treat. After your last review, purchased Max Porter’s book for me and a new Tintin book for the the ‘little one’. Have a fab weekend. Can I join you for book shop crawl next year???? Xx
Author
Oh yes, Heffers, haven’t been there in a very long time, I remember seeing Jo Brand in there many year ago! Hope you ‘enjoy’ the book, you will need tissues! Definitely yes for book shop crawl next year xx