David Fickling Books and Bedford Square Publishers among Small Press of the Year finalists

Fifty-five small presses are vying to be named regional and country Small Press of the year at The British Book Awards for 2024, the largest ever number of finalists.

The contenders span nine different regions and countries, with 12 in London, seven in both Scotland and South-East England, six in North England, five in Wales, South-West England and the Midlands and four in the Island of Ireland and East England.

The bumper crop of 55 publishers – all with a turnover of less than £5m – will compete to win their region first before contending for the overall prize. This prize will be announced at the ceremony for The British Book Awards (also known as the Nibbies) at Grosvenor House London on 13th May 2024. The overall winner will also be in contention for Independent Publisher of the Year.  

Among previous winners and finalists, including 2021 overall winner Sweet Cherry and 2023 regional winner Bluemoose Books, a handful of small presses make their finalists debut – Hurtwood Books (London), 3dtotal Publishing (Midlands), Noodle Juice (South-East England) and Bedford Square Publishers (London).

Those committed to strengthening inclusivity in the industry have remained popular such as Scorpius Books (East England), the first trade publisher of dyslexic-friendly fiction for adults in the UK, and Out-Spoken Press (London), a business challenging the lack of diversity in publishing.  

Many of last year’s biggest break-out books came from the small press finalists, including Penelope Unbound by Mary Morrissy at Banshee Press (Island of Ireland), Out in the Cold by Danie Ferreira from Hurtwood Books (London), The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Otter-Barry Books in the Midlands), Lessons From Our Ancestors by archaeologist Raksha Dave from Magic Cat (London) and rising star author and illustrator Jamie Smart, published by David Fickling Books (South-East England). 

“I’m always happy to see the breadth of Small Press publishing across the UK and Ireland,” said Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of the judges for The British Book Awards. “These presses have ridden out the pandemic peaks and troughs, and have emerged into the new age stronger than ever with some first-class publishing backed by an acute understanding of who they are and how to find their customers.

“The vast majority of publishers on this shortlist reported list and sales growth, alongside many successful funding applications, with investment put into both authors and their businesses. Publishing remains in safe hands – many of them.”  

Tanya Dunbar, m.d. of the prize sponsor CPI Group, said: “CPI is proud to sponsor the Small Press award again this year. The small publishers are an essential and creative part of the publishing ecosystem, and we are delighted to be part of their continuing success story.”  

The regional and country winners of the Small Press of the Year award will be announced on 11th March.  

The finalists are: 

East England  

• Scorpius Books – West Bergholt  
• UEA Publishing Project – Norwich  
• Dedalus – Sawtry, Cambridgeshire  
• SRL Publishing – Bishop’s Stortford  

Island of Ireland  

• Banshee Press – Cork  
• The Lilliput Press – Dublin  
• Little Island Books – Dublin  
• Irish Pages – Belfast  

London  

• Jacaranda Books Art Music – Bloomsbury  
• The Indigo Press – Mayfair  
• Bedford Square Publishers – Bloomsbury  
• Magic Cat Publishing – Haggerston  
• Hurtwood Books – Soho  
• Elliott & Thompson – Bloomsbury  
• The Do Book Co – Shoreditch  
• Renard Press – Clapton  
• Muswell – Highgate  
• Gallic Books – Belgravia  
• Scallywag Press – Pimlico  
• Out-Spoken Press – Willesden  

Midlands  

• Otter-Barry Books – Hereford  
• Sweet Cherry Press – Leicester  
• Bad Betty Press – Nottingham  
• 3dtotal Publishing – Worcester  
• The Emma Press – Birmingham

North England  

• Smokestack Books – Ripon  
• Saraband – Manchester  
• Carcanet Press – Manchester  
• Dead Ink Books – Liverpool  
• Bluemoose Books – Hebden Bridge  
• Fly on the Wall Press – Manchester  

Scotland  

• The Wee Book Company – Glasgow  
• Little Door Books – Highlands  
• Charco Press – Edinburgh  
• 404 Ink – Edinburgh  
• Scotland Street Press – Edinburgh  
• 3TimesRebel Press –- Dundee  
• Rymour Books – Perth  

South-East England  

• Duckworth Books – Richmond  
• Author In Me – High Wycombe  
• September Publishing – Tewkesbury  
• Guppy Books – Didcot  
• David Fickling Books – Oxford  
• Mama Makes Books – Tunbridge Wells  
• Noodle Juice – Banbury  

South-West England  

• Peirene Press – Bath  
• PG Online Ltd – Dorchester  
• Really Decent Books – Bath  
• Ad Hoc Fiction – Bath  
• From You To Me – Bath  

Wales  

• Parthian Books – Swansea  
• Lucent Dreaming – Cardiff  
• Firefly Press – Cardiff  
• Rily Publications – Caerphilly  
• Graffeg – Llanelli