Harrogate's Imagined Things shop celebrates the 'best news' as it is nominated for Bookshop of the Year

Imagined Things, which became famous after a tweet by its owner went viral, has been nominated in The British Book Awards 2023 Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, sponsored by book wholesaler

Gardners.

The awards celebrate shops which continue to support their local communities with bespoke bookselling and tailored initiatives.

The 2023 North England finalists for The British Book Awards 2023 Independent Bookshop of the Year

Forum Books – Corbridge

Imagined Things - Harrogate

Kemps General Store & Bookshop - Malton

Linghams Booksellers - Wirral

Queer Lit - Manchester

Sam Read Bookseller - Grasmere

The Book Corner - Halifax

Wave of Nostalgia - Haworth

In total there are 59 independent bookshops in the running for the awards across nine different regions and countries, including ten in South-East England, nine in South-West England, eight in North England, Scotland and Wales, seven in London, four in the Midlands, three in East England and two in the Island of Ireland.

After the announcement of the nominees, Imagined Things tweeted simply: "The best news!!!!”

Owner Georgia Eckert, left her job as a radiographer to launch Imagined Things shop in Harrogate in 2017 and, after a challenging start, has become one of Harrogate’s independent gems – and the country’s.

In 2022, after five successful years at Westminster Arcade on Parliament Street, the family-friendly bookshop moved to a bright and spacious new location on Montpellier Parade facing the Stray.

The nominated bookshops – including Harrogate’s fantastic Imagined Things – will compete to win their region first, which will be announced on Thursday, March 16, before contending for the overall prize at The British Book Awards winners ceremony at Grosvenor House on Monday, May 15.

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller managing editor and chair of Independent Bookshop of the Year judges, said: “If there is one thing that has been driven home by these finalists it’s that independent bookshops have been one of the winners of the pandemic.