University of Exeter Alumni Embarks on Quest to Visit Every Single Independent Bookshop in the UK
A University of Exeter Alumni and online bookstagram creator has officially launched a monumental cultural project: a nationwide journey to visit, document and celebrate every single independent bookshop in the United Kingdom. Through a dedicated video series on Instagram, bookstagrammer Manon Martini (@manonsreading books on Instagram), aims to shine a light on the vital role these literary hubs play in their local communities.
The series, entitled ‘I’m Visiting Every Indie Bookshop in the UK’, was born out of a passion for the magic of bricks and mortar bookstores and the unique quirks they bring to the high street that cannot be found in massive chain stores. Starting from the vibrant literary scenes of North Devon, the series will cover hundreds of shops across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland - showcasing their unique personalities, special features and ‘hidden gem’ recommendations.
“Increasingly, independent bookshops are finding creative and unique ways to attract customers and stand out from the high street,” says Manon. “Afori Books in Brighton, for example, specialises exclusively in books of black origin; Tipsy Books in Bideford, offers a wine bar/bookshop mashup with an epic curation of fantasy titles; Criminally Good Books in York is a crime-themed book shop specialising in mystery and crime fiction. You just don't get this diversity and sense of community in the chain stores, and I want to show people that, whilst you may well be able to buy books cheaper on Amazon, the experience of shopping indie is something you cannot get anywhere else. The reality is simple: if we don't use indie bookshops, we lose them.”
As of 2025, the number of indie bookshops in the UK is estimated to be around 1,052. Whilst this number represents a small decline since 2023, the sector has seen a strong, sustained recovery since hitting a low of 867 in 2016. Despite financial pressure, independent bookshops have outperformed the wider UK retail sector, which saw high rates of shop closures in 2024, and the resurgence is largely attributed to the community value indie bookshops have to offer with their book clubs, outreach work, and events, as opposed to solely competing on price against larger retailers.
“There's this misconception that the bookish community is very much southern-based, with the majority of the ‘cool’ indie bookshops residing in London”, says Manon. “This could not be further from the truth, and if you dare to look, there is a vibrant and creative literary scene firmly established across the North of England and beyond that deserves to be celebrated.” As part of the wider project, Manon is enlisting her online community to help build the first comprehensive, creator-led directory of every UK indie - upcoming stops include Cosy Cottage Romance in Kent, Chapters Bookstore in Dublin, Hold Fast Bookshop in Leeds and Book Lovers Bookshop in Edinburgh.
As the UK faces an ever-changing economic climate, and many shops face the threat of closure, this project serves as a timely reminder of the resilience and creativity of the independent sector as well as the economic, community and environmental benefits of shopping locally - something we cannot afford to lose.
To learn more about the Independent Bookshops of Devon, head to our Resources page that features a map of the county’s
50+ indie bookshops!
