OUR CUSTOMERS SAY:

Guardian "mapping independent booksellers", June 2010:

The Book Case in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire is a simply fantastic independent book shop. The staff are unbelievably knowledgeable and will go to extraordinary lengths to find the book you're looking for. They've been in the town for many years and deserve to be noticed nationally as something very special.

And see a very nice mention at http://forbookssake.net/2010/08/06/battle-of-the-bookshops-the-book-case-in-hebden-bridge/

"I didn't expect to get my books so quickly - thank you. The web-site is very clear and helpful and I'll certainly use it again and hope to get to the shop sometime. You managed to beat Amazon on stock and delivery and I wish you every success as it must be a difficult time for the independent book shop."

"I have been in many times ... and each time I find something wonderful and unexpected."

"You have done better than the largest Waterstone's in Edinburgh!"

"Aren't you wonderful!"

"It's a proper bookshop, not like Waterstone's or something."

"I think you're amazing!"

"Wonderful! Wonderful!"

"I don't know what we'd do without this shop - we wouldn't want to live in Hebden Bridge any more."

"It's a lovely shop, it's really cheered me up!"

"Thank you so much all of you for the totally FAB customer service!"

"I'm astonished how quickly you can order books in. With Waterstone's, it's always a fortnight."

"I tell my staff to look at your site to see what to buy." - Waterstone's manager

"What a wonderful shop you are!"

"Oh, have you got it in stock? I waited for about eight months to get it from Amazon and it never came."

"You're quicker than Amazon!"

"You don't get this level of service from Waterstone's, you know. You say 'Hobson's Choice' to them and they look blank."

"A friend of mine in Tennessee says, 'I'd love to live in Hebden Bridge because of The Book Case'."

"You've got an amazing selection of books here!"

"It's a nice shop to look in." "Yes, it is, it's a lovely shop."

"I still can't understand how you can get books so much quicker than a big national chain."

"I love coming to your shop."

"Don't believe any other shop would go to so much trouble!"

"Once again you live up to your reputation. You are the best shop ever for getting stuff in the next day."

"You are wonderful."

"Wonderful shop - brings back childhood memories of browsing in bookshops."

"A little gem of a bookshop."

"The Book Case, as ever, is brilliant."

"We are very lucky to have such a wonderful bookshop in our midst."

"Dear Bookcase, thank you! Why the Guardian didn't include you among its piece on independent bookshops, I don't know."

Customer purchasing Stainer's Crucifixion on a Naxos CD: "I've just spent all morning searching on internet for an mp3 download of this - then I thought 'Let's see what Hebden Bridge has to offer"

"Thank you for sending me the fascinating book on Marriner's yarns. I can't believe it came so quickly - you certainly knock Amazon into a cocked hat!"


Guardian Best Bookshops (North East)

Right in the middle of town with an expensively attractive window display to lure you in. It has every book I want, and even when it hasn't, the staff (all mad, thank goodness) always seem to know about it and usually get it in for me before I've had time to go home and come back again. Felicity knows everything and deserves a medal. They all deserve a steep pay rise. And they have fantastic cards to go with emergency birthday purchases.
Kerry

The Book Case is splendid and I don't know what we would do without it. We live in France and, even with Amazon, there are often questions and glitches that mean we don't get the books we want when we want them. The Bookcase, on the other hand, does everything possible to help us, advise us, and supply us. On long rainy mornings it's a solace to ring up and have a gossip about books with Felicity, one of - if not THE - best read people in the British Isles. My favourite example of Bookcase behaviour: once we wanted a book that was out of print. They searched the second-hand bookshop across the road, got the book and sent it to us. I ask you, who could ask for more?
Betsey Parker