Tessa Shaw and Betsy Tobin co-owners of the Ink@84 Books in Blackstock Road

Booksellers say a sense of community has been restored after the relaxed
virus rules allowed “non-essential” shops to reopen.

All shops from clothes to electrics can now trade under the latest
government guidance.

Betsy Tobin, from Ink@84 in Blackstock Road, said: “The shop has to be
completely turned upside down each time and each time I reinstate the
shop I think this will be the last, we won’t have to do this again.

“You have to be prepared to rise to each challenge that Covid throws at us.

“Book shops have been through a huge number of challenges through the
decades.

“Amazon presented a huge threat at one point, digital presented a second
and Covid has been a third. If anything retail has met each challenge
amazingly.”

The shop moved online last year to continue sales during the lockdown
but Ms Tobin said nothing compares to the real life experience of
browsing shelves.

She said: “If anything, Covid has reinforced the importance of
community. People have really turned to their communities for support
and bookshops are absolutely at the heart of that. Our customers have
been tremendously supportive and are thrilled to be back in the shop.

“That tactile experience of picking up a book, weighing it in your hand,
seeing the brilliance of the covers and designs, opening the pages and
smelling the printed ink – there is no substitute for that.”

Vero Di Santo, a volunteer at the House of Hodge charity bookshop in
Blackstock Road, raising money for cats and dogs, said: “It has been
very, very nice to be able to give books to people again.

Vero Di Santo at the House of Hodge bookshop

“I have done a couple of sales already and it has just been really lovely. I think book shops are special in helping bring calmness to communities.”