Day 19 - Hunting

Today I hunted down some bookshops I'd missed earlier. 

Cromer

107. Bookworms is at 9, New Street. It opens at 10am, so I visited it before leaving Cromer. 

Bookworms is on the ground floor of a converted house. It is nearly two narrowboats in size. The carpets on the floor and the layout keeps the shop quiet. I enjoyed noise-free browsing. 

There seemed to be books on all topics, including small sections on mind-body-spirit, New Age religion, politics, science, local history, and of course fiction. Books were reasonably priced. There are no section labels, but the owner is approachable. Book titles are interesting. 

The owner, a healthy and slender lady probably in her sixties, runs it with her son. She couldn't remember when she opened it but it has been "a long time". Sales fell when eBooks and online shopping became popular, but they have improved in the past four years. "People are so pleased to find a real bookshop!" she commented.

Popular topics in Cromer seem to be paganism and divination. Keeping up with demand can be troublesome. She has 'book runners' that help find good books. 

Not all topics are covered in the shop. She refuses to sell books on hunting or guns because she disapproves of blood sports. Nor does she sell pornography. She has always been very active politically and used to take part in demonstrations with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. On Friday she'll be in London to support Extinction Rebellion. 

Ely

108. Waterside Antiques is at Waterside in Ely. This runs as an antiques cooperative. Two stalls are owned by separate bookshops. Their owners weren't present. 

On the first floor is a shop owned by Hereward Books in Haddenham, near Ely. Strangely, he only sells books on hunting, shooting, and fishing. However, the antiques shop is for overflow books on other topics. 

The size of the section is about 3/4 narrowboats. Books have antiquarian prices and titles are interesting. There are a number of books on local history and random titles like the ones shown above.

On the second floor is another book section, but the man at the front desk didn't know which shop maintains this section.  

The area has more books but is only 1/2 narrowboat in size. The topics are categorised. There are many biographies, self-instruction and health books. The building is usually quite empty so it is easy to browse at leisure. Prices are very good.

Day 18 - Woodbridge and Wymondham

Woodbridge

Woodbridge sits on the Deben Estuary one train stop from Ipswich. It's a very attractive, traditional town. Apart from Oxfam books there are two bookshops in Woodbridge. Both have the cheap lino floors that squeak and clack as you walk on them. Sounds echo badly in the shops. This is horrible to anyone sensitive to noise. 

All the bookshops are on Thoroughfare, about five minutes walk from Woodbridge station. 

105. Browsers Bookshop is at 60, Thoroughfare. According to their website they have been running for about fifty years.

 It was about 2.5 narrowboats side-by-side and traditional in layout. More room was given to empty space than books. Given the linoleum floor and the space, sounds echo badly. It was like shopping in a rifle range. Some cushions, dead bodies or carpets on the floor would help. 

 The range of titles was limited but the books were appealing. 

I didn't speak to staff members as the noise of conversation would have been painful.

106. Woodbridge Emporium is at 66, The Thoroughfare. Is it a tea shop? A gift shop? A bookshop? It was a strange blend of all three that seemed to work. 

The shop was less than 2 narrowboats in size and divided into three rooms. The books were mind-body-spirit-feminism or "trendy" depending on your viewpoint. The topics included paganism, magic, astrology, crystals, health, aromatherapy, veganism, and the associated paraphernalia. Like all such shops it smelt lovely. 

The shop has only been running two years. Due to the its layout the noise wasn't so intrusive. I spoke to staff but the owner wasn't available for comment. She keeps her own blog. I might post some questions on it. 

Wymondham

Wymondham station is about ten minutes from Norwich station, or an hour and ten minutes if the train is cancelled. Wymondham was the start of a rebellion led by Robert Kett against new land enclosure laws, causing hardship amongst peasant farmers in the sixteenth century. 

105 Kett's Bookshop is at 3 Warton's Court, in the town centre about ten minutes walk from the station. 

The shop was due to close in 2013 but a group of people met in a local pub and decided to seize control and run it as a community scheme. Many rebellions start in a pub. I suspect the bookshop thing is just a cover. Today, it's the bookshop. Tomorrow, it will be Parliament. For readers, for Wymondham, and for the country! I'm just warning you.

The bookshop is quite small, too small in my opinion. It is pleasantly quiet due to soft furnishings and a carpet. Titles are engaging, although the number of books is limited. It is arranged traditionally. 

The shop is run by 22 volunteers. Rebels - sorry, volunteers - are led by Tracy, the manager who previously worked for AVIVA in their customer experience team. Volunteers help select and recommend books. Their website was redesigned three years ago with the help of funding from Harper Collins. 

Tracy says the shop is leasehold but it is secure because the landlady is "moral" and likes the shop. I too like the shop. Staff are friendly and it shows a way in which a bookshop can be a community-owned project to help strengthen relationships and overthrow the government. Sorry - scrap that last bit. 

106 M & AC Thompson is a secondhand bookshop at 1, Town Green. 

This is a nice little bookshop run by a man from Stranraer. It is about one narrowboat in size and has books on many subjects except science and technology. The shop has been running for thirty-eight years. When I entered, the owner was tuning a twelve-string guitar. 

 Unfortunately the owner was a conversationalist. This made it hard to talk to him as he was in sustained conversations with customers. When I did, I learnt that he started out in the 1970's. He would buy Scotland-themed books in Norfolk at a discount and mail them to friends in Scotland for a profit. Eventually he opened the shop and sold books for a living. He plans to retire "next year", but he's been saying that for the past eleven years. I think he is in his seventies.

It's a nice bookshop to browse, undisturbed. 

The Journey Back to Cromer

The train between Wymondham and Norwich was cancelled on the way back. I pressed the info button on this box:

The little people inside the box were barely audible. They said they couldn't advise me because the conversation would be automatically cut off after a couple of minutes. Then the speaker went dead. I tried phoning for a taxi but was told it would take two hours for a vehicle to arrive. The train came after 95 minutes. Hell, no wonder rebellions start in Wymondham. 

Cromer ... and finally,

107. Bookworms is at 9, New Street. 

Two people have independently recommended this secondhand bookshop for its range of books. It is just down the road from No 1 Fish and Chip Shop which is also regularly recommended, for its range of fish. 

Hopefully I shall review this bookshop before I leave Cromer tomorrow. 

Day 17 - Cromer and Sheringham

Cromer

All three bookshops in Cromer are within five minutes walk of each other. One is not worth a visit, one is worth it if you're a Christian, and one is well worth it if it's not Monday. The Christian bookshop was discussed in yesterday's blog.

102. Much Binding is at 36 Church Street. It sells secondhand and antiquarian books at a reasonable price. This shop is in an old, long building about two and a half narrowboats in size. It also sells books online via AbeBooks. 

The range of books is splendid and includes the usual favourites. It has a good science and maths section not usually found in secondhand bookshops. It also has a section called "bonkology" 

I couldn't speak to the owner about the shop's history. I went past throughout the day but there was always someone in long conversations with him about the state of the country. The shop also tended to be quite busy. It opens restricted hours: 11am - 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. 

103 The Discount Book and Jigsaw Co Ltd is at 3, Tucker Street. It sells jigsaws and remainder books.

Sadly, it is uninspiring and sells a few novels and an odd assortment of non-fiction titles.  You can save yourself time by not visiting it. You can save even more time by not visiting their branch in Sheringham, too. 

Sheringham

Sheringham is just eight minutes on the train from Cromer. It's larger than Cromer and attracts more tourists. 

104. Peter's Bookshop is at 19 St Peter's Road, about five minutes walk from the station. 

You wouldn't expect to find one of the country's best secondhand bookshops in such a remote location. If there is a secondhand book on a subject, that book is probably in the shop. It is well curated and filled from floor to ceiling with books in a size of only two narrowboats. You swim between the books.

It is a book-browser's dream.  Book prices are very good too. 

The bookshop has run for forty years. It is named after the owner Peter Cox, not St Peter of St Peter's Road. Peter comes from Surrey rather than heaven. He has collected books since he was a child. I asked if he was a hoarder and he replied, "No, I'm not a hoarder. I have an obsession!"

Peter lives above the bookshop. Given its size I asked if any customers had suffered bookshop entrapment. He said once he had indeed locked someone in the shop. They carried on browsing the shelves. After half an hour they started shouting, asking to pay for the books. They paid and he let them out. It has only happened once. 

Day 16 - West Norfolk and Cromer

West Norfolk

Today I combed the West Norfolk bookshops. There was only one remaining follicle, in Downham Market. 

Downham Market

Downham Market is a small, traditional, friendly town in West Norfolk well populated with elderly people. The pace of life is pleasantly slow. 

Trains to Downham Market run every hour. They are scheduled to ensure that if you walk into the town to go shopping you are guaranteed to miss your return train by about five minutes.  There isn't much to do in Downham Market that will last 55 minutes.

100. No8, The Old Bookshop is at 8, High Street. It is ten minutes walk from the train station. The name suggests there is a newer bookshop somewhere in Downham Market. There isn't. Online I have seen this shop listed as No1 The Old Bookshop, Bob Pearman's Books, and The Old Bookshop in King's Lynn. Search engines are not as reliable as this human-made blog. 

The Old Bookshop has been running for two and a half years. It is managed by the West Norfolk Deaf Association. It is quite big inside, around two narrowboats in size, but the space is shared between secondhand books and welfare services. The building is old so has a nice atmosphere and is easy to browse. 

The Old Bookshop is the best example I've seen of a bookshop being a community hub. The shop was very busy with people having hearing aid batteries replaced, having hearing tests, donating books, and getting community advice. The manager, Sarah Cox said that the sale of books and community activities covered the cost of rent and the NHS services they provide.  

The books on display were interesting. In my view there wasn't adequate space given to books. The shop has about two hundred thousand books available online but only a small number are in the shop. It is worth a visit to see what a bookshop can do for a community. You are unlikely to find a particular book, though. 

Cromer

Cromer is on the North coast of East Anglia. It is therefore cold. I arrived at 4pm. Cromer shuts at 4:30pm. I managed one bookshop.

101. Shiloah Bookshop is at 23 Church Street, opposite the Baptist Church. No surprise that Shiloah is a Christian bookshop.

The bookshop is quite small - there are two rooms each half a narrowboat, one sells new Christian books and the other sells secondhand books. The secondhand section extends a bit into the back. 

Shiloah, which means "Gentle Waters", has been trickling along for four years. Manager Lisa and her husband said that Christian bookshops have been dying out over the past few years. The secondhand section helps to attract a diversity of customers. 

Prices are good but the range is very limited, to fiction, classics, history and whatever she thinks will sell well locally.

Day 15 - A Travel Day

There were no bookshop visits today as I was travelling back from Brighton. 

I will not be able to reach my goal of 150 bookshops in 4 weeks. I have already visited areas with the highest bookshop density and I've run out of places where I can visit ten a day. 

Next week I am visiting bookshops in Norfolk. After that I shall reveal my favourites.

Day 14 - Lewes and a Bit of Brighton

Lewes

Lewes has many independent bookshops for its size. Most are on the High Street about ten minutes uphill from the train station. Some bookshops aren't on official lists. They are only discovered by walking the streets or reading this blog. 

90.  Bow Windows Bookshop is at 175 High Street. It was founded in 1964 by Dawson Books, a book supplier to libraries. 

The shop has rooms beyond rooms. It is about 2 narrowboats in size, in a bendy sort of way. The building felt like a crypt and was slightly cool. There were secondhand books on many subjects and not as expensive as I'd expected. Outside were bargain books. Inside, hardbacks varied from £3 to expensive. They were old books, well kept. Anyone who likes old fiction, old writers, or old science would like this shop.

Library books absorb sound. When a critical mass of them gather together the building becomes strangely silent. Bay Windows Bookshop is like that. When you enter the back room you enter the sound event horizon and sound doesn't escape. If there were an explosion in the corner, all you would hear is a faint "Shhh!" noise. 

91. A and Y Cummings is at 84 High Street. Cumming's is only a small shop at about 3/4 Narrowboat. It has some remarkably good books that were affordable. It is a traditional antiquarian bookshop, where price depends on the quality of the cover rather than the quality of the writer. 

Unusually for an antiquarian bookshop, Cumming's does not sell books via the internet. You have to visit to see what's available. In spite of this it is doing well with local trade. 

I was put off when I first entered, thinking that the shop would be too expensive. Some books were, but I was surprised that some seemed under-priced. Perhaps they were reprints. It is definitely worth a visit if you're prepared to pay £20 or more for a good book. 

92. Barbican House is at 169 High Street. It doesn't advertise itself on the street, lest customers should inadvertently pop in and buy a book. It is part of the Castle visitors' centre. Inside the centre there is a sign, hidden discreetly behind the door so it doesn't attract attention. 

The books are on history and archaeology, and amount to about six bookcases. Prices are reasonable. I felt six bookcases was insufficient. Books were well curated by a very helpful and informative book curator, John Bleach. Books are donated by members of the archaeological group. It has been selling secondhand books for twenty years. 

93. Bag of Books is at 1 South Street. I found that Google Maps has difficulty navigating this area. Following the GPS navigation system it is possible to get locked in an endless and potentially fatal pedestrian loop. I suggest heading towards the bridge over the river, turning off the phone and following street signs. 

Bag of Books is a children's bookshop that has been going for 25 years. It is mainly for younger readers but has books for teenagers too. The shop is long and thin, like a narrowboat. It even has a low roof like a narrowboat. It's quite cosy. The range of books was good. I don't know of any other bookshop for children in the area. 

94. Lewes Book Centre is at 38 Cliffe High Street, not far from Bag of Books. It looks like a big secondhand bookshop. 

It is advertised as open from 10:30am. Unfortunately it wasn't open by 10:40am so I couldn't visit it.

95. Boon Books is at 18 High Street. This is a remainders bookshop that has been going for four years. Behind the shop front lies a large space for books, measuring about two narrowboats in size. The books are good value and cover a wide range of topics. 

They are currently developing an online version of the shop so they can enjoy the frustration,  technical problems and extra costs of other online bookshops. 

96. British Bookshops is at 34-35 High Street. It is a stationer and bookshop. 

This bookshop felt disturbingly like WH Smith. It was quite big, about four narrowboats, and had a range of new books with 15% off. It also sold stationery. One of the assistants said it operated as a chain in South East England. In 2011 it was bought out by WH Smith. It lacks personality. 

Brighton

97. Raining Books is at 28 Trafalgar Street. It is five minutes walk from Brighton train station. Raining Books has been running for twenty years. The shop is a converted house and surprisingly big, covering about four narrowboats of space over two floors. The shop fits well within the "chaotic bookshop" genre. 

There is a certain amount of order within the chaos. Books are classified carefully and then wedged into the shelving, usually with top poking out so the title cannot be seen. Once in place, the book is safe and will not be removed for another twenty years. Books are also stored on the floor to save shelf space. 

The range of books is excellent. The shop owner will offer help when tracking down books. Each book has a coloured dot on the front which matches a price chart on the wall. Most paperbacks are around £3. 

The shop is owned by Raining Books. The building needs some repair and may be a bit damp in the basement.

98. Dave's Comics is at 5 Sydney Street. This was a big shop selling graphic novels and books. It has been running for twenty years.

It was about five narrowboats in size, over two floors. It was very popular too. Superheroes were upstairs. I went up but nobody showed superhuman abilities. 

Downstairs the guy at the front desk told me about the shop and then about his life story. It never occured to me that he might be a superhero with the power to trap people in an endless conversation that sucks all life from them, until their husk falls lifeless on the floor and turns to dust. What could I do? He didn't seem to pause to breathe and spoke forcefully. I tried smiling and nodding. It didn't work! I tried to edge to the door, but I was caught in his force-field that stopped me from moving. I couldn't work out how this conversation would end and I felt my brain seize up. And then... his phone rang! In that moment of distraction I turned and made it to into the safety of a busy street. Phew! 

99. Books for Amnesty is at 15 Sydney Street, not far from Dave's Comics. 

Books For Amnesty is a chain of bookshops that helps fund Amnesty International. This one was not big, about 1.5 narrowboats. It had a few books from a range of topics: some fiction, some psychology, a few political books and so on. Prices were not as cheap as other secondhand bookshops. It was arranged by subject area. I suspect there are bigger Books For Amnesty in other cities. It wasn't an outstanding shop.