KEYNOTE: Independent thinking

A recent report from the Booksellers Association found that bookshops contribute £1.9bn to the UK economy every year. So how can we better advocate for the UK bookselling sector, what can the industry learn from booksellers’ understanding of readers’ habits and trends, and what do both Indies and chains need to flourish? Fleur Sinclair, the president of the BA and owner of Sevenoaks Bookshop, gives an invigorating keynote combining on-the-ground insight into the huge cultural, social and commercial value of high street bookshops with a big-picture rallying call.