'We own the floating Leeds Dock bookshop Hold Fast - there's nothing better than chatting about books all day'
Winners of the second ever Booker Prize Indie Bookshop Spotlight have been announced - and there’s one Leeds business doing the city proud.
The competition invites independent bookshops and booksellers from across the UK and Ireland to celebrate this year’s Booker Prize shortlist by assembling an in-store display of the titles nominated for the prize and posting images of their activity on their social media channels.
Winners of the competition were announced on Tuesday (October 29) and Leeds’ most unique bookshop, Hold Fast Bookshop, which floats in Leeds Dock in the National Historic Ship Marjorie R, was named one of the six winners.
It comes as we celebrate the amazing local businesses that make Leeds such a great place to live as part of our new #LoveYour campaign.
Speaking on the win, owners Victoria and Chris Bonner said: “The Booker Prize is such a great conversation starter in the shop – people have been hearing about the shortlisted books and authors on the radio, on TV and online and there is a real buzz around the selection.
“Sometimes there is nothing better than a long lingering browse in a bookshop, and other times you just want someone to give you a book and say ‘read this, it’s good’.
“The Booker Prize is a shortcut readers need when fatigued by choice or too time-poor to wander the shelves.”
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The couple, which launched the bookshop in November 2022, said they have lived and worked on the water for 22 years. It therefore “never really occurred to them to try and find a shop on dry land”.
“If there is anything better than chatting about books all day, we have yet to find it and it’s such a vital part of independent bookselling,” the couple said.
“It’s great to see the interactions in a bookshop – customers often start chatting to each other about what they have read or enjoyed.
“That doesn’t really happen in other shops – it’s as if ‘normal rules’ don’t apply in bookshops and by stepping in you know things will be a little calmer, more chatty and comfortable.
“It’s also so important for readers to see a range of books of all kinds of genres. I think most have more courage and a sense of adventure with their book choices than the dreaded algorithm would ever give them credit for.”
The couple are cheering for Samatha Harvey to win the Booker Prize 2024 for her book Orbital, which they say is an “accessible” yet “extraordinary” read.
Hold Fast Bookshop stock books of all genres - from classics to contemporary. The bookshop also sells plants, adding a much-needed splash of colour to the area and there is seating available on the upper deck, perfect for sunny and dry days.
We’ve launched our new #LoveYour campaign to celebrate the amazing local businesses, people, places and quirks that make Leeds so great.
The campaign, which coincides with the annual ‘Journalism Matters’ week and comes in the run-up to the festive season, will be a love letter to the city as we focus on everything from amazing pubs to top notch chippies, from the most beautiful walks to family favourite attractions.
Our reporters are out and about experiencing the community afresh and reporting back, but we also need you to share your top local tips. If you #LoveYour - we want to know what and why.
Let us know what you think makes Leeds special by emailing [email protected].