Winner of Independent Bookshop of the Year Award and Small Press of the Year Award

Wales claims prestigious award two years in a row with Crickhowell’s Book-ish crowned best independent bookshop in the UK and Ireland

Crickhowell’s Book-ish has won the prestigious award for a second time, having previously won the 2020 Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, sponsored by Gardners. This year, the shop fought off strong competition from eight other regional and country winners, selected from a bumper list of 77 finalists from across the UK and Ireland.

The Welsh bookshop has had an extraordinary year, with a successful crowdfunder enabling them to open a second shop in the nearby town, Abergavenny. Thanks to the team’s creative and innovative bookselling, including a focus on wide-ranging and entertaining in-store, festival and school events, sales have continued to grow in the face of a cost-of-living crisis.

2023 NIBBIES BOOKSHOP OF THE YEAR ENTRY – PHASE 1

Following on from Griffin Books’s victory last year, Book-ish’s success means a Welsh bookshop has been declared the best in the UK and Ireland for two years in a row.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller managing editor and chair of the Independent Bookshop of the Year judges, said: “Book-ish won this award – against incredibly stiff competition – due to a blend of the shop floor and the strategic. 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. As well as serving Crickhowell and Abergavenny, there is a feeling that Book-ish is not just a bookseller for those communities, but one of those rarest of entities: a local bookshop that can make its voice heard nationally”

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Triumph for children’s publishing as children’s only press Magic Cat Publishing claims award for best small press in the UK and Ireland

The Small Press of the Year Award, sponsored by CPI Books, went to Magic Cat Publishing, a specialist children’s press who fought off strong competition to win the prestigious award. The joint winner in the London region was up against nine other regional and country winners, which were selected from an extensive list of 55 finalists from across the UK and Ireland.

Raksha Dave’s Lessons From Our Ancestors, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong and published by Magic Cat, won the Discover Book of the Year category at the ceremony, a typically adult-dominated award, signally a major triumph for children’s publishing.

If the press continues on its current trajectory, this could be the final year that Magic Cat Publishing is eligible for entry into the Small Press category, with an estimated turnover of over £5million in 2024. As with many new small presses, the two urgent issues of diversity and sustainability have been at Magic Cat’s core since the start. A third of last year’s front-list had an author or illustrator from an ethnic minority background and there have been concerted efforts to make print and production greener. Support for staff wellbeing, apprentices and charities show this is a business that is interested in much more than the bottom line.

Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of judges, said: “I was delighted that Magic Cat won in possibly its final year of being able to win. Founders Rachel Williams and Jenny Broom have shown that once again they are able to tap into existing markets and drive into new areas of publishing with their relentless focus on quality and discovering new writers and illustrators. They are true publishers, commercial and creative, agile and ambitious. As with many Small Presses this year, Magic Cat’s success shows how the market remains receptive to smart publishing, whatever its origin story.” 

Both awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the independent bookshops and small presses that continue to diversify the industry through dynamic and imaginative publishing. We hope it is something you would consider covering.