TAKING STOCK

Planning for the new season gets underway early in the year at many sites, so the relative calm of January presented a good opportunity to catch up with lead bookshop volunteer

Nicola Mackley at Byland Abbey, North Yorkshire. In the summer of 2022, a volunteer team helped restore the shed that was home to the ticket office before Byland became a free-to-enter site and transformed it into a small but well-stocked second-hand bookshop.

Right from the start

Nicola, who has been involved in historic tour guiding and other community ventures for several years, is one of the team of tour guide volunteers established at Byland in 2022. She stepped forward to oversee the operations and administration of the bookshop’s opening in the early autumn.

‘It was so interesting to be involved in a project from the start,’ explains Nicola. ‘I was really drawn to the idea of coming up with plans for the shop, then helping to shape and develop them. There’s flexibility when it comes to things like displaying the books – and living close to the site, I can drop in when I have a spare moment, to sort through stock or see how sales are going.’

The shop, which is raising funds for projects specific to Byland, is one of the first English Heritage second-hand bookshops in the north of England. There are more on the way – theyʼre a great way to raise money, and they also help increase awareness of our charitable status and fundraising needs.

Every modern convenience

‘In addition to a wide range of adults’ and children’s books, we’re now able to sell Byland Abbey guidebooks on site for the fi rst time in a number of years,’ notes Nicola. ‘We also have an unusual item on display inside: the old metal ticket machine, found in the hut. Another volunteer, Kate Streatfi eld, carried out some research into its history, and visitors can read all about it in the bookshop.’

Despite its modest size, the shop boasts contactless payment, comfy seating, a heater and a functioning lightbulb – the only one on the site. After sales got off to a promising start in the autumn months, opening hours during the winter were restricted due to a more compact volunteer timetable.

Nicola explains: ‘It will only be when we’re opening more frequently as the weather and site conditions improve that we’ll get a true picture of the bookshop’s popularity and potential.’

Planning for the future

Are there plans for further development?

‘Certainly, we’ve now established a volunteer team sub-group to assist with planning, and we’re addressing questions like, how can we keep the shop looking fresh and attractive? How can we market it better locally? And how can we integrate the bookshop with potential family events at Byland Abbey?’

We look forward to hearing how the bookshop and team develop this season. ■