Bookshops are bucking the high street trend. There are lots of reasons why

With shop closures on the UK high street and rising living costs both well documented, it's a surprise to note that the number of independent bookshops remained largely stable last year.Fifty-one new indies opened, despite some serious challenges outlined by trade body the Booksellers Association.These included "recession, inflation, labour shortages, massive cost increases, tight margins, the costof-living crisis and unequal tax burdens such as business rates".This all paints a fairly bleak picture.But still, given the British high street lost more than 10,000 shops in 2023, booksellers are nonetheless bucking the prevailing trend.A 2022 report, Booksellers as Placemakers by the Institute of Place Management, concluded that bookshops are making a significant contribution to the vitality and viability of high streets.Not only do they contribute in ways that may have been expected, such as their retail offer, merchandise and diversity, but many also add to the appearance of towns and the collective marketing effort, and host events and festivals.In short, a bookshop brings wider benefits to a high street, as well as footfall.These days, they are proving indispensable, in so many ways, to their local networks.DGX RB.