Bookshops, sadly, are in decline. According to an article published in the Guardian in February: ‘The number of independent bookshops gracing British high streets has fallen below 1,000 – a third fewer than nine years ago’ and ‘more than 500 independent outlets have shut since 2005’.Beyond the UK, the story is the same: competition from big chains, supermarkets and Amazon, the shift away from high-street shopping, and the rise in popularity of ebooks have put enormous pressure on bookshops.

Commentators in the publishing industry who are watching the transformation with worried eyes have speculated on the future of the bookstore, and many have suggested that it will become an exclusive destination for those ‘old-fashioned’ types who love what the rest of the world deems to be something of a curiosity: the printed book. They envision books with hefty price tags housed in beautiful emporiums dedicated to bibliophiles.

I must say I would be deeply saddened to see the printed book become rare, but I would be delighted to see it so revered. Book boutiques: let us embrace them now!

Of course, some courageous and visionary book store owners are already working hard to create a ‘boutique’ feel. Take Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath, Somerset. Twice winner of Independent Bookshop of the Year, it’s a haven for book lovers; just take a look at the website’s description of the store:

Cream shelves packed with books span across three floors of a pretty Georgian building with lots of added quirky features such as a converted claw-foot bath book display, a wall papered with a Tintin comic, toilets papered in book reviews, a rentable reading booth (complete with leather chair and biscuit barrel) and our sumptuous “Bibliotherapy Room” with comfy armchairs, a fireplace, rotating thematic book displays and free tea and coffee available for customers.

Heavenly! Mr B’s also houses all sorts of events, and has live music supplied by The Bookshop Band. It’s enough to make one want to move to Bath…

For those don’t have a fabulous local bookstore, why not wait for one to come to you? If you’re lucky enough to be near an English or Welsh waterway, you may find the Book Barge moored nearby. Brainchild of journalist Sarah Henshaw, this floating ‘boatique’ has captured imaginations for its quirkiness and innovation. In fact, Sarah has just published a book detailing a summer she spent canalling with her Book Barge. It’s on my ‘to-read’ list!