There is a widely held view that bookshops are disappearing. Even before Covid, it was assumed that they were in a perilous position, due to the fatal combination of online shopping and the arrival of e-books.
There are 15 bookshops in Hackney, including a number of independent bookshops such as Stoke Newington Bookshop, Burley Fisher Books, and Pages of Hackney. It was thought that lockdown would be the final nail in the coffin of those much-loved bookshops.
But surprisingly, the statistics do not support this. In 2020, the number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland actually increased.
Josh Martin, a bookseller at Stoke Newington bookshop is not pessimistic. “Bookshops are not in as much trouble as people think”, he said. He points out that, when Kindle came along in 2007, many thought that it would be hugely damaging for bookshops. But it was not as bad as many thought it would be.
The pandemic undoubtedly presented a challenge for Hackney’s bookshops, as they were all forced to close for a period of time. “Things were tricky over the last two Christmases,” said Martin, due to the threat of lockdowns and the emergence of new Covid variants.
However, Hackney’s bookshops found ways to get through it. Martin makes the point that, during lockdown, people turned to books as a source of comfort. “People needed books,” he said. “People want and need to read.”
Innovation in the sector was needed. Anthony Hurley, bookseller at Burley Fisher Books said that during lockdown, their entire catalogue went online. “We had to be more resourceful about how we made money,” he said.
They also started selling second-hand books in the summer of 2020. “We had to broaden our horizons,” said Hurley. The second-hand books proved popular with customers, with many second-hand books considered “niche” or “rarities”.
The recovery seems to be working. Hurley said that Burley Fisher Books has started hosting events again. Last week, they held a book launch for Shadowlands, by Matthew Green, which tells the story of Britain’s lost and forgotten towns and villages. The event was hosted by Iain Sinclair, a Welsh writer and filmmaker who lives in Haggerston, and whose books are mainly set in East London.
Financial recovery seems to have accompanied the bookshops’ drive to branch out. “We’ve done as well as can be expected,” said Martin. “We’ve made the money that we usually make.”
Luckily, the community in Hackney has been keen to support local bookshops. Hurley says that they “really feel the love” from local people. “They’re the only reason we’re open.”
