It’s very good news that the Waterstones shops are recapturing Tim Waterstone’s original vision for them, but to characterise bookselling in the pre-Waterstone age as a “dull old place” is a little harsh (Letters, 26 November).
At that time a very large number of independent booksellers gave the trade a vigorous and individualistic strength, cumulatively selling far more books than WH Smith. Sadly, many of these independent shops were forced to close when the better-resourced Waterstones set up in usually better-sited competition with them, especially after price maintenance was declared illegal – which happened largely because the big chains deliberately broke the net book agreement.
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