Amazon also forces it supliers to supply at a discount.
Hay on wye is a manufactured book town, set up by richard booth, a friend of james hannah that is setting the booktown up here. The shops opened, then the festival happened, because thats what happens at booktowns. Hay is lucky in that it had no competition from other booktowns when set up, and had press backing, it got established, with good shops run by people with a knowledge of the book business. The festival has backing from large organisations. The town gets trade because it's got 20 good book shops in it, people come from all around the world to hay.
blaenavon just up the road seems to be failing, it's only got 2 shops left out of 8. and that already had a tourist trade and has world heritage status. The idea was that they'd feed off each other, but it hasn't worked. here, it's taking off very slowly, we're up to 4 proper bookshops in the town, a hotel with a good selection of books for sale along one wall of the library, a guest house that sells some, then in the surounding towns we have another bookshop, mpc publications outlet wharehouse, which is ian allen transport books, and the huge astley bookfarm, plus several places by appointment only, an aviation book seller, an occult book seller.
Other town, do antiques instead of books, some do parties and casinos, some do history and heritage.
accy could do music, or books, redcar was to be james hannahs next project, but they backed out for some reason, perhaps fear of failure, there is a booktown further up, but that still leaves a gap up your end of the country.
perhaps accy should be music and arts capital of the north.
What do you think mr britcliffe?
http://atherstonbooktown.com