Durham bookshop hosting events to bring together communities

An independent Durham bookshop continues its ‘fight against Amazon’ as establishments battle against the pressure of increasing costs.

The People’s Bookshop has recently hosted a live performance from musician Joe Solo — who introduced his latest album ‘Punk Rock Prepared Us For This’ on Friday 17th April.

Joe Solo, originally from Scarborough, is a musician, writer, poet and activist whose musical journey began in 1987 — fronting a bash-em-out band at school.

Joe Solo — Live at People’s Bookshop in Durham. Photo: Alex Guy

Discussing his latest album, Joe Solo said: “The inspirations behind it are really watching people go into total meltdown about what’s happening in the world around us.

“The more I thought about that, the more I thought about, well, I’m not going into meltdown, and why is that.”

“A part of it is that punk rock really did prepare me for this and a good chunk of the people from our generation.”

Joe Solo — Live at People’s Bookshop in Durham. Photo: Alex Guy

“I’ve been listening to records about a dystopian future for 50 years — so it’s no surprise that it’s finally arrived.”

“I think the records kind of prepared us for that.”

[embed]Joe Solo — Live at People’s Bookshop in Durham. Video: Alex Guy.

Opened in 2011, the People’s Bookshop, located at Prince Bishops Place, has always aspired to be more than radical bookshop.

Run as a volunteers’ collective, it’s a base where those ideas can be realised in the ‘hustle and bustle of organising activity’.

Speaking on the event, Solo said: “A gig shouldn’t make you feel comfortable and smug in your own sort of moral high ground.

“It should challenge you, it should make you think, it should make you shift and shuffle and question things and the People’s Bookshop is good for that.

“It’s a lovely space to play in”.

People’s Bookshop in Durham. Photo: Alex Guy

Mark Bond-Webster, Events Organiser at People’s Bookshop, said: “I thought it was an excellent event.

“Joe is an old friend of the shop and always pulls in a good crowd and gets everyone involved.”

Events in these spaces, like People’s Bookshop, help to pull in all sorts of different segments of people which is what the bookstore aims to do.

“We view the bookshop as a community hub and aspire to entice as many as different folks as possible to walk through our doors.”

Independent bookstores around the UK are currently feeling the pressure of increasing costs.

According to the Booksellers Association, confidence in what 2026 will bring is reported to be ‘being undermined’ by expectations of higher operating costs.

Infographic showing 2025 UK bookseller statistics (as well as Amazon statistics). Photo: Alex Guy.

Mark added: “There is something remarkably satisfying, liberating, about discovering a book for yourself , that has not been selected for you by an algorithm.

“Small independents have a vital role in keeping city, town, and village centres going.”

Joe Solo’s new album ‘Punk Rock Prepared Us For This’ is available to stream or download here.

Find out more information about People’s Bookshop in Durham here.