National bookstore chain Waterstones looks set to make its first profit since the financial crisis this year and the bright, busy and attractive store on the High Street can only be helping in its recovery.
Waterstones has gone back to basics, highlighting good books rather than those whose publishers paid for them to be displayed at the front. It has also removed ebook readers from most of their 280 stores and, as we can see in Rye, are encouraging local managers to interact with the local community.
Lizzie Lee, who manages the local branch of Waterstones (branded as the Rye Bookshop), said she was very pleased that “The Fox and the Star” by Coralie Bickford-Smith won the Waterstones Book of the Year competition as it is the one that she would have chosen herself from the shortlist of eight.
The book is an exquisitely produced fable suitable for children and adults and there are piles of them available at the Rye Bookshop. Since the shop opened in the summer, it has held many local events including book signings, story telling and competitions.
The next event will be this Saturday, December 12, as part of the “Great Expectations – Christmas in Rye” event when there will be story telling and Sally Aviss will be signing copies of her books between 10am and 12 noon.
Photo: Seana Lanigan