A New Bookshop

Recently, I was sad to report the demise of our local bookshop in the village where I live. Unfortunately, this is happening all over the country at the moment as these individual shops have to close their doors, mainly because they simply do not pay.

Against this background, therefore, it was a huge pleasure to attend the official opening of a new bookshop and café: not a small, privately-owned outlet, but another branch of the national book retailers, Waterstones.

The new bookshop

Situated on busy Byres Road in the West End of Glasgow, its prospects look encouraging. It is a densely-populated area, with narrow streets running between blocks of flats, many of which house the students and staff of Glasgow University, a five minute walk away. This part of the city has the reputation of being home to artists and intellectuals - potential customers for a new bookshop? Only time will tell.

Alex Gray about to cut the ribbon

Of course a firm the size of Waterstones will have done its homework in advance - they must be confident a branch here will do well. As crime writer Alex Gray cut the ribbon, I joined with her and the staff in wishing the new bookshop every success.