Another one bites the dust...

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/02/11/iconic-morpeth-bookstore-appleby-s-to-close-after-roadworks-cause-major-slump-in-trade-61634-30308368/

I love this bookshop.  It's independent.  It's quirky.  It's a little bit old fashioned. 
And it's closing forever...

That's another loss to add to that of Borders, Waterstones in the Metro Centre, The Book Inn in Billingham.

What's the difference between a dodo and a bookshop? Not an awful lot these days..

I went into Waterstones in Newcastle today - about half the floor space of the old shop - and tried with no success at all to buy a book which was published to some acclaim in September.  So I've resorted to Amazon. *

Amazon, reputedly, are considering opening high street shops.  If they do, I suspect it'll be the first nail in their coffin.  But we're desperate for GOOD bookshops so if they think they can make a go of it, then I wish them well.  In the meantime, the purchasing of books from places like Appleby's is becoming a rare treat, not the norm.  A sad day for Morpeth.  A very sad day for me!

*POSTSCRIPT:  Have since bought the Kindle version for £1.49 as opposed to £8.99 for the pb...!