Mayo's Tertulia is Independent Bookshop of the Year finalist

A Mayo bookshop has been named as one of the 2025 Island of Ireland finalists for The British Book Awards 2025 Independent Bookshop of the Year award.

Tertulia Bookshop in Westport is one of five bookshops in the running for the prestigious award.

The award celebrates stores that continue to support their local communities with bespoke bookselling and tailored initiatives.

Located at Westport Quay, Tertulia is a bookshop like no other, popular with locals and visitors.

For book lovers, film lovers, Harry Potter fans, Tertulia is a place to relax, enjoy a cup of coffee, meet old friends and new, chat about books and so much more.

The mission of Tertulia is 'to contribute to a positive change in the way the world thinks. To live in a world where every story matters, to live in a world that understands that (our) stories are interconnected. It is this understanding that can help make our world a more equal society.'

Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller managing editor, said: “The last year has been a drab time for the High Street with declining footfall and rising prices, but what has been underscored by our regional and country finalists is that independent bookshops are beacons of hope amid the gloom.

“British and Irish indies continue to thrive, despite the overall climate, with entrepreneurship and creativity. These finalists are wonderfully unique and idiosyncratic, but there is a link in that all of them are not confined by the four walls of their shops - they are out in their communities organising festivals, visiting schools, bringing authors to town.

“Sure, they sell a lot of books but that is just the start: independent bookshops are Britain and Ireland’s local cultural lynchpins.”

Find out more about the Tertulia story here: https://tertuliabookshop.com/.