A much-loved independent bookshop in Northumberland has landed the regional title of Independent Bookshop of the Year for the fifth year running.
Forum Books in Corbridge has again won the North England crown in the The British Book Awards 2023 and now is a contender for the overall national title. The popular bookshop, inside the former village chapel, is widely regarded as one of the best bookshops around.
Run by Helen Stanton, who has opened two more bookshops in the North East since the pandemic - The Bound in Park View, Whitley Bay, and the Accidental Bookshop on Narrowgate in Alnwick, the shop is not only well stocked with books but also hosts signing events and talks which can see authors address the crowd from the former pulpit.
Read more: Eight North East independent bookshops you really should visit
The store is now one of nine newly-announced regional and country winners - as shown below - which are in with a chance of winning the overall Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, to be announced at The British Book Awards ceremony in Grosvenor House, London, on May 15.
The overall Independent winner will also compete to be crowned Book Retailer of the Year. For more about Forum Books see its website here.
The 2023 Independent Bookshop of the Year winners
East England: Niche Comics Bookshop, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Island of Ireland: Halfway up the Stairs, Greystones, Co Wicklow
London: Nomad Books, Fulham, London
Midlands: The Rabbit Hole, Brigg, Lincolnshire
North England: Forum Books, Corbridge, Northumberland
Scotland: The Edinburgh Bookshop, Edinburgh
South-East England: Mostly Books, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
South-West England: Storysmith, Bristol
Wales: Griffin Books, Penarth
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