There’s not much we love more than a really good rummage along the shelves of an independent bookshop, so you can imagine our delight when Suddenly On Sheaf Street, run by the delightfully knowledgable and welcoming Tom and Joanna, opened it’s doors in the summer of 2024 on what is fast becoming one of the most sought after shopping streets for indies in the shire.

Suddenly has set up shop in a beautiful old building, with original features such as the polished oak Jacobean staircase giving a real sense of character. Fancy curling up with your kids for story time in the old inglenook fireplace? Caution: you may never wish to leave, and with two storeys stacked full with wonderful stories, why would you?

There are all sorts of events and workshops you can attend in store, such as sanntangle (that’s a kind of meditative doodling, fyi), sewing, kids’ magic shows and creative writing workshops as well as author events and two book clubs every month (Contemporary Fiction and Sci-Fi and Fantasy). Oooh, and they’re dog friendly too. Big bonus.

If you can’t make it into the store in person, you can even order online via Bookshop.org.