Use them or lose them! This weekend support your local independent book shops, markets and retailers

Use them or lose them! All of us want the quirky, individual, different shops on our high streets but every consumer is responsible for what they buy. If you choose to order all your books and purchases online via Amazon and co then a local retailer is losing out - so life is more convenient for you. And, although we are getting these companies to pay more tax that's previously, the reality is that big companies are crowding out the small supplies. What to do?
- you can buy your meat from a local butcher or in the farmers market this Saturday, where you will get a better product from a local farmer, with meat utterly traceable and handled in an exemplary way. And it tastes better. While you are at it stop buying cheap foreign imports in supermarkets.
- make sure you support our local shops in Hexham, Corbridge, Haltwhistle, and across the county. Every time you choose to ignore them and shop at a supermarket their trade suffers. Trust me you will be the first to complain when you see our high street solely the preserve of the high street chain.
- get involved with great promotions like the one run by my favourite bookseller Cogito in Hexham (although Forum in Corbridge are also v good).
This from the cogito team is surely a must go to:

Calling fellow book lovers, whatever you’re doing this Saturday, make sure it includes popping into Cogito Books for our bookshop party – celebrating real books in real bookshops!

Throughout the day we’ll have ‘Books’ Fizz’ and a Tasting Saturday Extravaganza not to mention cake, quizzes, face painting and live music … and lots and lots of conversations about books.

Come join the party and celebrate what makes Cogito Books so special!

    

Hehxam Book Festival starts in a few days but some tickets still available

The festival starts very soon on the 24th April but some events to see, hear and meet some amazing writers are still available - all details on the website: http://www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk/

At the same time it is worth pointing out that various people are doing a series on the greatest novels of all time. Surely "Literature" is the book that the reader wants, and most importantly reads. There is no greatest ever novel - just the book that you or your child considers a classic.
But ...  I attach below one greatest ever list of the 20 British and Irish novels. Many would agree that Great Expectations, and Middlemarch should be on such a list but good also to see The New Confessions, Wolf Hall, and even Jilly Cooper's Riders! A book is great if it makes you or your child read! And if you want to give someone a present this Easter - give a book! Preferably from our two wonderful local independent bookshops in Hexham and Corbridge
The full list is below but try and go along and support your local book festival:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10629373/20-best-British-novels-of-all-time.html