Bookworms and bibliophiles of the capital city, please avert your eyes from whatever book you’re currently devouring, and listen up. You’re probably well aware that London’s literary offering is pretty darn impressive. From huge bookshops and historic bookshops to fancy bookshops and even floating bookshops; the Big Smoke has got all bookish bases covered. And so it will come as no surprise to hear that London has just bagged itself a fair few sought-after spots on the shortlist for the (highly coveted) Independent Bookshop of the Year award. And it’s safe to say that the nine London locales that earned themselves a comfy seat at the table are most certainly in our good books.
Independent Bookshop of the Year 2026
Now in its 17th year, this highly-coveted award comes courtesy of the British Book Awards. This year saw a record-number of submissions, and the 2026 shortlist features the largest number of finalists in the award’s history – with a whopping 76 indie bookshops (spanning nine regions across the UK and Ireland) in the running for the title. Blimey.
The award is (as per usual) sponsored by book wholesalers, Gardeners, and aims to shine a spotlight on the smaller-scale independent spots that continue to support local communities with bespoke bookselling and rather novel approaches (pardon the pun). The shortlisted stores each bring passion, knowledge, and expertise to their shop floors. And they’ve each managed to not only survive, but thrive in the face of high street trials and tribulations.
Among the 2026 finalists is last year’s overall winner (The Heath Bookshop in Birmingham) who is hoping to hold on to the crown. The regional and county winners will be announced on March 10, and the overall winner of the Independent Bookshop of the Year award will be revealed at the British Book Awards ceremony on May 11. The winner will also get their hands on a cheque for £5000. Not bad, hey?
The London spots that have been shortlisted for the 2026 Independent Bookshop of the Year award:
- 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
Ruth Gardner, the UK sales manager at Gardners, 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 so every day to connect readers with books.”
You can peruse the full list of 2026 finalists here.