Blandford Books in Broadway made the finals for Independent Bookshop of the Year 2026 at The British Book Awards earlier this month. Despite not taking the crown, Andrew Blandford, owner of the long-running Cotswold business, said he was proud to have placed so well.
Mr Blandford said: “We have been finalists before, but we thought we would enter again because it is 30 years since we opened in 1996. We have faced all the ups and downs in the last 30 years with the rise of Amazon, supermarket discounts and the Kindle.
“We are an independent bookshop that survives on visitors and the local village. We are proud to have been made finalists. We are very fortunate because we are located in Broadway. It’s not down to just me, but my exceptional staff as well. I think our experience and knowledge shine through, we trade to the best of our ability, and we are an important part of the High Street. We have worked with the community on a lot of things in the past, and we strive to push Broadway to be the best of the Cotswold villages.
“Over the years, we have had many famous authors pop in, including Richard Coles recently. But we have also supported struggling authors as well. We have a very strong children’s section, and we try to mix toys with play and learning. On the adult side, we lead in signed book stock. I think the reason we have been going so long is due to our tenacity in keeping going. Our ability to look for new ways to sell a book and face up to challenges”.
The Rabbit Hole in Briggs was crowned Independent Bookshop of the Year for the Midlands today (March 10), with the overall champion to be announced in May.
Meryl Halls, managing director of Booksellers Association, said: “As we celebrate the National Year of Reading in the UK, the role independent bookshops play in championing authors, inspiring reading for pleasure and bringing communities together has never been more important and relevant. From unrivalled curation to unparalleled welcoming spaces for readers of all ages, they sit at the heart of their local communities and our national culture”.
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