Haworth: Bookshop named best independent in the north of England

The shop specialises in books about strong, inspiring women, its owner said

A Haworth bookshop which specialises in books about women and inclusivity has been named as the best independent book retailer in the north of England.

Wave of Nostalgia won the British Book Awards Independent Bookshop of the Year competition for the north, selected by publishing magazine the Bookseller.

Owner Diane Park said it had been the "best year ever" for the shop.

"It's a huge accolade, particularly as there so many fantastic bookshops in our region," she said.

Wave of Nostalgia will compete with eight other bookshops from around the UK and Ireland for the overall Independent Bookshop of the Year Award.

If they win that they will also be in the running to be named Book Retailer of the Year title.

The final winners will be announced at the British Book Awards ceremony in London on 13 May.

It will now compete against eight other bookshops across the UK and Ireland

Wave of Nostalgia opened on Haworth's main cobbled street in 2013, just a stone's throw away from the Bronte Parsonage Museum, and sold handmade clothes as well as gifts and books.

It became a specialist, affiliated bookshop in 2021, after the coronavirus lockdown meant making made-to-measure clothes problematic.

The shop is themed on strong women, conservation and LGBTQ+.

"Our stock is designed by inspiring women, some local, some further afield but all in the UK," Ms Park said.

She said the award was "really very special and we'd like to thank everyone who has helped us to achieve this in only our third year as booksellers."

The British Book Awards, established in 1990, aims to highlight authors and illustrators, and the industry which brings them to readers.

They are judged by leading industry experts, authors, journalists and celebrities and are regarded as "the BAFTAs of the book trade".