Farsley’s Truman Books has been named as the North England Regional & Country Winner for Independent Bookshop of the Year.
Truman Books was one of nine regional and country winners honoured for their energy, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The shop was launched in 2021 by Amanda Truman, who put her career in the travel industry on hold due to the pandemic.
Amanda decided to have a complete change and did what nearly every book lover dreams of doing, she decided to buy her own bookshop – and chose Farsley.
Judges at the British Book Awards praised the shop for its lively programme, for being the driving force behind Farsley Lit Fest and community initiatives such as the Truman’s Book Club Social and Farsley Big Read.
Its school partnerships, storytimes, and strong support for diverse voices was also recognised.
Amanda said on social media that she was ‘over the moon’ and added: “This is a testament to our brilliant team of booksellers, and our amazing community who support us every step of the way.
“Shout out to the awesome shops in our category, and to the other eight regional winners.
“We are now a shortlistee for the Independent Bookshop of the Year award, sponsored by Gardners, which will be announced at The British Book Awards in May.”
Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller deputy editor, said: “In an incredibly competitive year, these nine winners are the best of best: kings and queens of local high streets, pillars of communities and – crucially in this National Year of Reading – champions of helping others discover the joy of books.”
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