The Whitby Bookshop is situated in the heart of old Whitby, on the east side of the harbour amidst some of the oldest and most interesting buildings in the town. A short stroll to the beach takes you along cobbled streets, through the market place, past hidden yards and secret ginnels.

The Whitby Bookshop was established almost 30 years ago and has thrived ever since. During a recent redecorating job involving stripping the paint from the 'Whitby Bookshop' sign above our display window, we discovered an old glass sign advertising the decorating business that once stood in our place. Rather than painting over this fascinating and beautiful piece of local history, we decided to leave it visible, and you can still see it there today.

Arguably one of the most literary locations in Britain, Whitby has for years attracted those of a literary persuasion. From Elizabeth Gaskell, who set the classic Sylvia's Lovers in Whitby, to Bram Stoker, who, inspired by Whitby's rugged cliffs and austere Abbey, famously set Dracula here, and so inspired our bi-annual Goth Weekend celebrations, those of a literary persuasion have never been strangers to our town. In keeping with the gothic theme established by Stoker, Paul Magrs more recently set his darkly hilarious Brenda and Effie books here. Lewis Carroll, author of the children's classic Alice in Wonderland, spent significant time hin the town, and of course children's author G.P. Taylor launched his bestseller Shadowmancer right here in The Whitby Bookshop.