Tombland Bookshop

Reviews

• FR

  Frank Ryan

  Sep 9, 2023
  1.0
  Great selection of books but I had not visited for years as the place used to be a mess and books were overpriced and, worse, the manager/owner appeared to be an arrogant snob who would have been happy if only he did not have to deal with customers. I put aside my bad memories and went in. Place still a bit of a mess but better than it was. Prices were still generally high for Norwich. But one thing had not changed. The lady running the shop, who told me she had been “trained” by the above-mentioned Basil Fawlty of booksellers, was spectacularly rude! She told me if her conduct, or that if her predecessor, was questionable it was probably down to me. I almost left but decided to stay as I had waited years to see the place and was only in Norwich for a few days and with lots to do. I bought a couple of books and went back a day or so later for another look at the bits I had not covered on the first visit. I (it turns out unwisely) put aside my terrible experience from the day before and tried to engage with Ms Fawlty by talking about books, thinking there might be a reasonable chance that might break the ice with her. I might as well have been speaking in Japanese. She told me more than once on enquiries by me about particular books that they do not keep a database as “we have so many books it would take too much time”*. She said it dismissively and apparently with some pride. [* To be fair though she did make a search for one topic I mentioned. I thought we were finally making progress but no, it was a false dawn.] I found a few things of potential interest but Ms Fawlty came up to the top floor where I was browsing at 4:30pm to remind me she was closing (the shop has spectacularly short hours) and pulled my iPhone socket from the wall saying “don’t use our sockets”, with her back to me. She flicked off the power switch with a vigour that was clearly intended to make a point. My phone was not attached to the lead. It had been earlier for a short while just to stop my phone from dying. She did not even know the lead was mine, unless she had in fact been observing my felony on an internal camera. That was it. I had had enough and did not return. Nor shall I do so until someone runs the shop who actually knows how to treat customers. As it is, Ms Fawlty has to be the rudest bookseller/retailer I have ever encountered on the planet. That’s quite an achievement. She should have her own show or blog and give tips on how to lose customers. Actually, maybe Basil was not that bad after all. One of the books I bought on day one of my return to this shop, after what now seems like a too short absence, was from the Titus Groan trilogy. The lady running this shop would have been an excellent head librarian at the Gormenghast library. I very much doubt that anyone would have dared to keep a book beyond the return date; or possibly even to have borrowed a book or visited the library.
• PB

  Peter Bromley

  Apr 20, 2019
  5.0
  Excellent bookshop right in the heart of Norwich and only 5 minutes walk from the Adam et Eve pub. It’s right opposite the Norwich Cathedral so even more reasons to visit. A wonderful collection of books on the shelves and first rate help with the all advice your need...
• SG

  Sarah George

  Feb 18, 2018
  5.0
  Love this shop, has something for everyone to read, outside shelf just a £1 each, and inside some real treasures, starting of at a pound or two each.
• IG

  ian gallagher

  Apr 19, 2016
  5.0
  Just love the place