Ninety second-hand bookshops in the UK closed in 2024, surpassing previous years. Many closures were due to redevelopment, lease ends, relocation, or retirement, not a decline in trade. Notable losses included long-standing shops like Arthur Probsthain and Broadhurst’s. However, new shops are opening as well, with unique offerings like Second Page in Bristol and Bodies in the Bookshop in Cambridge. The total number of second-hand bookshops now exceeds those in the 20th century, with a trend towards charity and community-run shops, as well as hybrid venues. Readers must now show persistence to find second-hand books in various unexpected places.
http://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com/2024/12/second-hand-bookshops-in-britain-2024.html