Book-ish scoops second Independent Bookshop of the Year Award at 2024 Nibbies

Crickhowell’s Book-ish has been crowned Independent Bookshop of the Year at The British Book Awards 2024, held in London last night (13th May). This is the second time Book-ish has scooped the £5,000 award, which is sponsored by Gardners (now in its 15th year of sponsorship), having previously won in 2020.

The bookshop fought off competition from eight other regional and country winners, selected from a bumper list of 77 finalists from across the UK and Ireland.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller’s managing editor and chair of the Independent Bookshop of the Year judges, commented: “Book-ish won this award — against incredibly stiff competition — due to a blend of the shop floor and the strategic."

The Welsh bookshop has had an extraordinary year, with a crowdfunder enabling the team to open a second shop in the nearby town of Abergavenny, while sales have continued to grow in the face of a cost-of-living crisis. Following on from Griffin Books’ victory in 2023, this year’s result means a Welsh bookshop has been declared the best in the UK and Ireland for two years in a row.

Tinvan added: "On the shop floor, Book-ish ticks every box you can think of: wonderful knowledgeable staff, a gorgeous premises, expertly curated books range, a welcoming and inclusive space, a standout events stream that runs the gamut from book and hobby clubs to talks with superstar authors. On the strategic it goes outside the box with clever partnerships with publishers and festivals, link-ups with schools and libraries, and an expansion to a new site, aided by an innovative crowdfunding campaign. And there is its savvy online and social media presence which it uses to champion books and literacy to an ever-growing audience."

Nigel Wyman, sales and marketing director at Gardners, commented: “For the 15th consecutive year, Gardners is honoured to sponsor the Independent Bookshop of the Year award, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of independent booksellers nationwide. We’re delighted to offer a cash prize as a testament to our ongoing support for indie booksellers and would like to congratulate Book-ish for winning this esteemed award for the second time. We trust that they will be delighted with this and hope that the £5,000 can further enhance their offerings to customers.”