posted on 11 Aug 2019

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshops : Tetbury and Nailsworth, South-Gloucestershire.

We had been meaning to head out to visit Tetbury for some time and we were waiting for the summer weather to make the trip a relaxing one – scuttling around in the rain is always a trial even to visit well-regarded independent bookshops. Tetbury and Nailsworth are close neighbours and each have a branch of the legendary Yellow Lighted Bookshop to offer as part of the shopping experience. They also have a reputation for their antique shops and we were hoping that ‘antique’ also meant a good dose of old books.

Actually, from that perspective, the trip drew a blank – there really wasn’t much by way of books in those antique centres; but that was all counter-balanced by just how delightful The Yellow-Lighted Bookshops were. The first one we went into was the Tetbury branch and it’s a lovely experience – light, spacious and generously stocked. We were also delighted to discover that they put a real emphasis on children’s books which are clearly the core focus. There’s a generous dedicated space allocated to well-stocked shelves, imaginatively and thoughtfully curated – and there’s even a big squidgy sofa to flop on while you browse.

But it's not just children's books because there's a good selection of current fiction in hardcover and paperback as well as the usual spread of other subjects. I'm always fascinated by the subjects to be found in independent book shops because they give you a really accurate idea of the reading interests of the local community. If a bookshop doesn't do this well it has no chance of surviving.

You get a warm welcome and prompt but unobtrusive service – all things which help independent bookshops buck the trend towards internet shopping. You get the feeling that this is a shop that cares about books and cares about the people who read them. Their internet site demonstrates that they have owners with a social conscience and there is a dedicated article about the importance of working with schools: the shop also donates to a refugee charity which is great.

The shop in Nailsworth that we went to after the Tetbury visit is a slightly smaller carbon copy of the first - and that’s no criticism. Why change an obviously winning formula?

We loved them both and we’ll certainly be going back again. Independent bookshops have to be community centres as well as retail outlets and The Yellow Lighted Bookshops can certainly say they are an integral part of the High Street.

 

Terry Potter

August 2019