Booksellers' cartel
From Tatiana Wilson Sir: For all of us who are penalised by the 'closed shop' modus operandi of the book chain retailers, it was very reassuring to read Chris Lewis's article ('Cooking the books', 20 October). 'Buying' space in bookshops is not an option if you are a newcomer. These are 'reserved at a price' for the well-established publishers who have the money and connections.
The managers of the high-street chains turn our reps away because 'it is only head office' which does the buying. Head-office executives hide behind the individual shop managers, 'who are the ones who decide what to buy for their branches'.
We must expose these practices so that new hardback fiction may be allowed to see the light of day.
Tatiana Wilson
Managing Director, Delancey Press, London NW I
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