Sales of Harry's memoir Spare confirms that books are still popular

Around half of the people the News Letter spoke to on the day were there for Prince Harry’s memoir (the reason we’d attended), which meant it was probably busier than usual, but all the same it was refreshing to see people seeking out the written word in such numbers.

The choice of location for the vox pop didn’t take much thought because to the best of our knowledge Waterstones is the one and only bookshop in Belfast which stocks large quantities of newly-published books on the day of their release.

Gone from the city centre are Easons, WH Smith, and going back a bit further, Dillons, swallowed up by Waterstones themselves.

Shops like The Works and Bargain Books are worth noting but they tend to favour discounted back catalogue books.

Charity shops, second-hand book stores, libraries and eBooks are a good source of inexpensive and even free literature, and some supermarkets, bus and train stations have introduced bookshelves where you can take a pre-owned book and make a donation.

The ability of online retailers and supermarkets to heavily discount big titles is undoubtedly a factor in the reduction of large commercial bookstores throughout NI. People haven’t stopped reading, though it’s clear the means by which books are accessed is changing the landscape of high streets.

However, it is refreshing to see that some independent bookshops in the Province have curated specialised content rather than compete on blockbuster titles, and it is a unique selling point that has seen many of them thrive.

Bridge Books in Dromore, The Secret Bookshelf in Carrick, No Alibis in Belfast and Little Acorns in Londonderry are some that spring to mind and are most worthy of a browse.