Shopping the independent way…

Today I discovered a new bookshop in Bath – Topping & Company has opened recently at Bladud Buildings, off the Paragon.

Before Waterstones opened in Milsom Street and the Net Book Agreement was abolished, there were a number of independent bookshops in this city.

A number of independent bookshops have come and gone in recent years – not one has been able to compete with the chain store which now dominates the bookselling world let alone the supermarkets and online retailers offering cut price books.

Topping & Company (www.toppingbooks.co.uk) offers a fantastic range of books and I hope it succeeds – over the next few months this new bookshop is also organising a great range of events with big name authors such as Germaine Greer, Alan Bennett, Michael Palin and Terry Pratchett.

I am trying to support independent retailers more and more and am weaning myself off the convenience of Waitrose – at least it is a worker’s co-operative and not one of the big four supermarkets!

With so many independents squeezed out of Bath over the last 10 years due to rising overheads and lowering prices on offer by the multiples, the need to support individual retailers is as great as ever.

I am setting myself a challenge from 1 September – to buy everything from independent shops. 

I will let you know how I get on!