One of my favourite places in Thirsk, and something of a rarity these days – is a thriving independent bookshop, one which works hard to achieve its award winning success. The White Rose BookCafe sells not only books, but gives you a chance to put your feet up, sip a coffee and sample good food, then you can go back to browsing. But let’s not stop there, the owners and staff have fingers in many bookish pies –  arranging talks which attract fabulously popular authors who like to chat to their readers and a super-fast book dispatch service, and… Well, let’s just have a closer look:

Jan and Joanna Trollope

White Rose Book Cafe came into being 23 years ago when Sue Lake and her late father Steve Clements opened the door and welcomed in their first customers. It has thrived every since, partly because they have been forward looking, and have  invested in the technology that gives the staff access to all British and American books, and which helps them to dispatch orders, often overnight. Roll over Amazon… But it’s more than that. A bookshop has to somehow be at the heart of the community and interact with it, and this one certainly does that, in spades.

 

Sue and Bob Champion

White Rose BookCafe draws customers from far and wide not just for the books, or food but also for the talks they arrange:

Just look at the 2018  line up of authors, poets & musicians – Joanna Trollope, Tommy Banks, Mary Jayne Baker, Gemma Hogg, Bob Champion, Carol Ann Duffy, Imtiaz Dharker, John Sampson, Jackie Kay, Gillian Clarke, Kate Fox, Em Lynas, Dan Smith, Chloe Daykin, Chris Callaghan, Peter Robinson, Jane Clack, Damon Young, Salley Vickers, Kate Atkinson, Julian Norton, Peter Wright, Jonathan Tulloch and Herd on the Hill, Nick Ahad, Vicky Foster, Alfie Crow & James Turner.

Add to this their support of  authors at Ripon International Festival, the Deer Shed Festival, Countryside Live, Thirsk Christmas Weekend, & they also welcome visits from local primary schools.

Julian Norton launching his latest book: Horses Heifers and Hairy Pigs

What about Book Groups? Well, of course. Not one, but  3 thriving Book Groups regularly meet in the Story Room upstairs. The bookshop’s  40 seating café (winner of Tea Room of the Year 2018, voted for by Flavours of Herriot Country Awards), and mezzanine floor housing older children’s books, and nonfiction, story room and not forgetting the large garden terrace.

 

Peter Wright

Sue Lake of White Rose BookCafe, Thirsk says that “In 2016 our sales of the new book by Yorkshire Vet, Julian Norton had outstripped sales of Harry Potter books here” she added “ We were absolutely delighted when Julian asked us to hold a Party to launch his new book Horses, Heifers and Hairy Pigs: The Life of a Yorkshire Vet.”  We launched Julian’s new books in 2017, 2018 & will be working with him in 2019, as well as our other famous vet and talented writer Peter Wright.’

They have over 800 Privilege Card Members who receive monthly offers and events information, helping to spread the word about their business and thriving local community.

So these are the facts, but let me tell you that White Rose BookCafe is more than this. It has heart, its staff are a joy; relaxed and friendly, its choice of books wide, and if they haven’t got it, they’ll get it – quickly, and their windows make even the youngest child want ‘That book, Mummy.’ In this day and age, this is priceless.

White Rose Books, 79-81 Market Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1ET    01845 524353