Founded in the 1920s as the Gallery Bookshop and Lending Library, Village Books is now run by Hazel Broadfoot with her dedicated team and Toffee, the much-loved shop dog.
The shop prides itself on combining a love of books with personal service, helping customers track down half-remembered titles and offering a fast ordering service for thousands of books, including out-of-print and American titles, with next-day collection available for orders placed before 5pm.
Village Books also hosts a busy programme of author events, welcoming novelists, historians, actors, chefs, and children’s writers.
On the Village Books website, Hazel Broadfoot said: “We really care about making authors, customers and publishers happy with our events.
“Recent authors have included Diana Henry, Tim Spector, William Boyd, Rory Stewart, Mary Berry and Michael Palin.
“Children’s events have featured M.G. Leonard, Cressida Cowell, Katie Kirby, Robin Stevens, Rob Biddulph, Jamie Smart and Julia Donaldson.”
This year, a record 76 independent bookshops from across the UK and Ireland have been selected as regional and country finalists.
The awards recognise stores that form the heart of their local communities, bringing passion and expertise to the shop floor, while also innovating with festivals, fundraisers, wellness programmes, and school initiatives.
Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller deputy editor, said: “The most gratifying thing about the 2026 Independent Bookshop of the Year is not just the record number of submissions, but the Grade-A quality of each and every one of them.
“We all know the current travails of the High Street in general, but indies across the UK and Ireland are meeting the difficulties with grit, innovation and community spirit.
“What impresses is how these shops are nimbly and proactively moving into areas that tap into local needs, such as launching festivals, fundraisers, wellness groups and supporting local schools.
“All this on top of the core mission of spreading the joy of books, which indies arguably do better and with more passion than any other sector.”
Ruth Gardner, Gardners’ UK Sales Manager, said: “Independent bookshops are the heart of our industry and of their local communities.
“The regional finalists represent the very best of bookselling – passion, creativity and resilience in action.
“We’re proud to support an award that recognises the extraordinary work these businesses do every day to connect readers with books.”
Previous winners include The Heath Bookshop in Birmingham, which opened in 2022 and hosted over 130 author events in three years, and Griffin Books in Penarth, Wales. Eight of last year’s nine regional winners are also returning as finalists this year.
Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the Booksellers Association, said: “Booksellers are often the unsung heroes of the industry, engaging deeply with their communities and fostering cultural diversity.
“The shortlists highlight the best of bookselling at a time when our sector faces significant challenges.”
Regional and country winners will be announced on March 10 2026, with the overall winner revealed at The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House, London on Monday, May 11, 2026.
The overall winner will also receive a £5,000 prize from Gardners.
London finalists include:
- Backstory | Balham
- Bàrd Books | Bow
- BookBar | Islington and Chelsea
- Burley Fisher Books | Dalston
- Saucy Books | Ladbroke Grove
- South Kensington Books | South Kensington
- The Common Press | Shoreditch
- The Paper Cat Children’s Bookshop | Herne Hill
- Village Books | Dulwich
