IT was party time at Haslemere Bookshop last Saturday with a double celebration to mark both its first anniversary under new ownership and the launch of the 2015 “Books are my Bag” campaign.

Customers tucked into a first birthday cake decorated to look like the start of the second chapter, and were treated to a special set by up-and-coming Midhurst singer-songwriter Ed Goodale.

They could also show their support for the “Books are my Bag” campaign – the annual collaboration between publishers, bookshops and authors to promote High Street bookshops.

Buying Haslemere Bookshop was local resident Ian Rowley’s first foray into retailing, but it was not a leap into the unknown, as his wife Cathy worked there for several years.

Since taking over, he has introduced author talks, launched an evening and day-time book club and forged closer links with local schools through a reading challenge.

“The first year has gone very well,” he said. “Everything is moving in the right direction and we are increasing sales. We now stock more children’s books, which are selling very well.

“The timing of this year’s campaign has been quite good. Waterstones has just announced it has stopped selling Kindles because it’s no longer worthwhile, so the whole trend towards eBooks and eReaders seems to have reached a point where it’s stabilised.

“That’s good news for us,” he added.

“Everyone has told us how pleased they are Haslemere still has an independent bookshop. We have to make sure we bring people in by having good stock and knowledgeable staff.

“It was really nice to have Ed Goodale, who writes his own songs, performing at the party and he attracted a lot of attention.

“We are donating 10 per cent of the money raised on Saturday to Alzheimer’s Society.”