Bookshops launch Civilised Saturday as antidote to Black Friday

In Kibworth next Saturday, a bookshop will be offering tea, cake and hand massages in a green velvet armchair. In Crickhowell’s local bookstore, there’ll be a butler on the door serving prosecco. Independent booksellers up and down the country are preparing to host a “Civilised Saturday” next week, as the “perfect antidote” to the cut-throat bargain-hunting and frenzied shopping of the upcoming Black Friday.

So far, some 100 bookshops have signed up to the initiative on 28 November, the day after Black Friday on 27 November. The annual discounting frenzy originated in the US, marking the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, but was also huge in the UK last year, with fights breaking out as shoppers battled over bargains.

Alan Staton at the Booksellers Association said that Black Friday was “the antithesis” of what booksellers stand for, as seen with their “books are my bag” campaign. “It’s about discounts, it’s about a feeding frenzy, so we said why don’t we have a ‘Civilised Saturday’, which shows that what booksellers offer is an informed, civilised environment for people to make purchases. It may be for people who have gone through Black Friday and need some R&R afterwards, or for those who shun it for a more civilised alternative.”

“I liked the idea of an alternative to Black Friday,” said Emma Corfield-Walters of Book-ish in Crickhowell. “It’s a bit of a yah boo sucks to the big guys like Amazon, encouraging people to be a little more civilised, in terms of not getting beaten up [over bargains].”

Along with the offer of prosecco at Corfield-Walters’s shop, customers will have the chance to take part in a competition to see who can walk the furthest down the high street with a book on their head to ensure correct posture.

Mince pies, mulled wine, art and singing will be on offer at Burway Books in Church Stretton, there’ll be a day of celebrating the works of HP Lovecraft in Walsall’s Southcart Books, and at the Edinburgh Bookshop, staff on the day will be dressed in cocktail outfits, complete with evening gloves, and giving out “genteel” snacks and drinks to customers.

At The Bookshop Kibworth, in Leicestershire, Debbie James is planning to theme the day in the spirit of The Novel Cure by Susan Elderkin and Ella Bertoud, which offers literary prescriptions for ailments from depression to a stubbed toe. “We’re going to invite people in the shop to take a seat in our specially delivered green velvet armchair, and get them to explain to us what they’re looking for and how they’re feeling,” said James. “Then we’ll go about plucking titles off the shelf to bring back for them to look at in the chair. They’ll also be given tea and cakes, and a complimentary hand massage. It’s the most civilised thing ever to happen in a shop – absolutely the antidote to Black Friday.”

James said that “quite a few” of her customers had spoken negatively about Black Friday’s discount frenzy. “So we knew if we rolled out something different, they would absolutely love it.”

In Shropshire at Wenlock Books, meanwhile, there’ll be more prosecco, music from a local musician and a “very civilised” afternoon tea. “Black Friday appeared quite suddenly in the UK, and since it’s an American tradition following on from Thanksgiving it doesn’t mean anything to us. It’s become a day of chaos and that’s not at all how we feel shopping should be,” said Jasmine Denholm, an apprentice at the bookseller. “Christmas shopping should be a luxury where customers can take the time to find the perfect gift.”