A timely message on the news page locally this week one bookshop in Newent ( one of the 5 towns in the Forest) is closing and it looks almost 95% certain that the bookshop in Lyndey will also be closing leaving 1 independant bookshop in the Forest. We have a small Tesco in Lydney selling the best sellers and a larger Tesco in Chepstow 7 miles away.

The comments form the woman that runs Lydney Bookshop was fairly much to blaim the cheaper popular books available in Tesco which discourages browsers mainly because they buy the popular stuff in Tesco and can't be bothered to then look for other books.

Gloucester 20 miles away has an Ottakas

Cheltenham a further 10 miles away has Ottakas and Waterstones plus some independants.

This will be the pattern throughout the country and I am certain we will see the demise of most of the independants.

This is a topic very close to my heart, as a local, independent bookshop is as much a part of a community as the local school, library, village green, etc., depending on the size of your community.

One way local shops have remained open is to have a large section not only dedicated to children's literature, but to the ease of having children in the shop. Many small bookshops are located in family communities, not just large cities, and many parents are uncomfortable bringing their children into the kind of shop that looks like the kids will knock everything over and generally be unwelcome.

And local readers, writers, poets, booklovers, whathaveyou MUST support the local shops -- not only by giving them business, but by offering to give readings and workshops, asking for titles to be ordered that aren't currently on the shelf -- and simply showing up when there is an event sponsored by the local shop, if for no other reason than to register your 'vote' of confidence.

I just think that what the small shops can offer that the large chains cannot is the sense of being a part of and responsive to the community.

David,

I am with you all the way; however the closure of small Independents is a fact of commercial reality in the High Street. In my opinion this will continue until either they all cease to exist or perhaps Co-operatives emerge with small retailers banding together to form 'Wavy Line', 'Spar' or similar retail groups. However I have a strong feeling that this latter suggestion is simply my own wishful thinking to ensure continuation of small Independents.

Len