Your Comments On the St Albans Bookfair

Your comments from a Survey carried out at the 2009 Bookfair

‘Many people look forward to Nov/Dec and the Bookfair – please let it continue!’

‘Always a great range of books’

‘This is a very popular event that is a distinctive feature of Christmas in St Albans.  It must continue – St Albans is becoming characterless’

‘Excellent value – good for Christmas presents.  Really missed the fair not being here in 2008’   (It had not been possible for the Bookfair to take place in 2008)

‘This somehow compensates for the chronic loss of Paton’s on Holywell Hill.  Every town needs this kind of resource in the age of the computer.  It is essential in my view and is no way the same as Borders, Smiths, Waterstones etc’

‘I am so glad the Bookfair is back, it makes Christmas shopping a great pleasure’

‘The old courthouse is an amazing location!’

‘Welcome back! You are part of a proper St Albans Christmas and must continue!’

‘It just gets better every year.  Please let it come again we love it’

‘This is a wonderful place to purchase books at a reduced price.  Very helpful for a pensioner on a strict budget!  Long may you continue’

‘It’s brilliant – my family really missed their extra books from the Bookfair under the tree last year!!  Long may it continue’

‘I missed your sale last year very much.  It was so good to see you again this year.  Everyone I have introduced to your fair has enjoyed it immensely’

‘Should be here all the year round’

‘Books are important!’

‘Do hope you can continue – missed you last year!’

‘The Bookfair should continue’

‘This is a brilliant fair – I buy most of my family’s Christmas presents from it and it would be an awful shame if it was stopped’

‘Paton Books is an established St Albans bookseller, bringing real books for page turning and buying to the people of St Albans.  It is up against ferocious competition from the internet – who don’t let you get anywhere near a real book until you have paid first.  This is a service to the community’

‘A good cross section of books at good prices’

‘St Albans without the Bookfair would not be Christmas – keep going for many years to come’

‘Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Bookfair’

‘We thought that when the shop closed all was finished – delighted to find you again’

‘The Bookfair is part of Christmas’

‘An important part of the community at Christmas.  Will support it wherever it is but it should stay here’

‘Please keep this going.  We value it’

‘You have to continue to have the Bookfair.  It is a great chance to browse/buy and enjoy books’

‘An excellent idea – especially in time for Christmas’

‘Really good to see you back this year’

‘A great assortment of books for everyone’

‘I miss the bookshop on Holywell Hill as do my family and friends’

‘Don’t get pushed out of St Albans.  Your bookshop is really missed – it’s a sin that the place has stayed empty for over a year and we have lost a great bookshop’

‘I always come to your Bookfair and would like you to continue.  What is the alternative?  The old Town Hall is an arts venue allegedly, with little arts activity’

‘You were missed last year.  You help complete my Christmas shopping’

‘Have bought before, will buy again’

‘We enjoy visiting the Bookfair every year’

‘It would be criminal if this excellent Fair were forced (by this council, which doesn’t appear to know the value of anything) to close’

‘Don’t stop!’

‘We’ve come here every year for as long as we can remember and would really miss it’

‘Lovely atmosphere.  Hope it continues’

‘It would be a terrible shame to lose having it here.  The selection and quality are outstanding’

‘If this fair is not ‘allowed’ to continue, St Albans takes another backwards step’

‘With Waterstones and Oxfam the only alternative bookshop, the Christmas seasonal Bookfair is a blessing for its different range and for the way that its competitive pricing can encourage younger and reluctant readers.  It’s also a God send for looking for children’s books’

‘I do hope you can continue for many years to come’

‘Look forward to you being here each year’

‘Make it an annual event as it has been’

‘This is a very good venue for the sale of books especially as presents at Christmas time.  It would be a great shame is this is going to be the last year’

‘Pity that the only decent secondhand bookshop had to close’

‘I could spend hours here!  It’s always excellent’

‘Your Bookfair encourages us to visit St Albans for our Christmas shopping rather than going elsewhere.  We think you offer an excellent range of books at very reasonable prices’

‘It is part of the St Albans scene.  We are losing too much of the character of this town’

‘Keep it going!’

‘Miss you when you are not here’

‘We would be very sorry if this Bookfair was not allowed to continue.  We have had many years of buying our Christmas books here’

‘This is an asset to the town’

‘I do hope you can continue to stay here’

‘It has become a very enjoyable feature of pre Christmas visits into town.  We usually visit you several times.  Good luck’

‘We love the bookfair and look forward to it every year!  It’s the start of Christmas for us’

‘Hope you can continue – I miss Patons very much’

‘I really miss Paton Books and would be very sad to see the Bookfair go too’

‘Patons is a real loss to the town’

‘You were missed terribly when you were not here Christmas 2008.  St Albans needs you.  I do hope that the council listen to the public for once’

‘Much missed in 2008’

‘Sad the shop is still empty – what a loss to St Albans’

‘An excellent service in a beautiful room.  I hope you will be allowed to continue’

‘St Albans will miss you if you go’

‘A worthwhile enterprise which deserves to be encouraged and supported.  Please continue’

‘Patons have served St Albans well, both here and in their shop’

‘We think you should be allowed to continue most definitely’

‘This Bookfair has been an annual event from my childhood growing up in St Albans and continues to draw me back, even though I don’t live here any longer’

‘I would like Patons to carry on for many years to come’

‘Have found Bookfair invaluable in recent years’

‘I would like to see the Bookfair more than once a year’

‘Keep it going if you can!!’

‘We miss your shop!’

‘I hope you can continue as the secondhand bookshop is sadly missed’

‘I think this is brilliant, long may it continue’

‘Don’t leave or be pushed!!’

‘Please retain this Christmas Bookfair’

‘I believe the Bookfair is as much part of pre-Christmas as the card sale at the Abbey.  Looked forward to with relish.  Very much part of St Albans’

‘Lovely place to browse and good bargains to be found – wonderful’

‘Excellent quiet atmosphere for walking around the books’

‘I wish I’d found it sooner’

‘I was thrilled to bits to find you here again this year and have been in several times.  Thank you’

‘I was so pleased to see you back, as I had greatly missed your presence both in your shop and also here.  I am sure the Bookfair draws people into St Albans’

‘St Albans would miss it’

‘Why meddle with something that works well?’

‘Wonderful to see Paton books trading in some form after the closure of the shop. Great choice of books’

‘I look forward to this every year.  I work in a modern court and it is lovely to see the old court room filled with books and happy people’

‘Very sorry that Patons are not in Holywell Hill anymore, they should definitely continue at the Town Hall’

‘Let this carry on!’

‘It was missed last year’

‘I make a point of coming to the Bookfair every year so I really hope you are able to continue’

‘Hoping you will return next year’

‘Please keep it going if you can get ‘them’ to agree’

‘You should definitely continue holding the Bookfair, it would be such a shame if you didn’t

‘Hope it goes on for many years to come please!’

‘A very enjoyable wander round’

‘It is outrageous that Patons were not allowed to display in the Old Court Room last year.  They are a St Albans institution from the days of Miss Paton in the 1950s.  Trust the council to destroy this’

‘Visiting the Bookfair has been an essential part of Christmas for us, a delight for many years’

‘The Bookfair is an institution and should be allowed to continue’

‘I hope you are here next year’

‘The annual Bookfair is part of the St Albans Christmas time and should continue at their venue’

‘We miss Patons on Holywell Hill.  This visit has become a ‘nice thing to do’ at Christmas’

‘This is my second visit this year – I would miss this very much if it went’

‘I miss Patons bookshop very much and although internet shopping is ‘the thing’ you can’t beat browsing through books to choose just the right one!  Please don’t stop having a Bookfair’

‘This fair – which dates back many years – should be encouraged to continue indefinitely’

‘It will be a shame if you have to stop – feel it would be more popular if more people realised you were here’

‘We need to support good local businesses and this is a great candidate!  I love shopping here’

‘The Bookfair is a fabulous resource and ensures I spend more money and time locally rather than on Amazon!’

‘Just keep going!’

‘Delighted to find you are back’

‘Tell St Albans council that you add the quality of citizens life.  It fits in with their ‘urban vision’’

‘St Albans council has already done enough damage to the traders in this town by its disruption of the markets and the discouragement of visitors by prohibitive car parking charges.  The least it can do to make amends is to continue to provide premises at the town hall for your Bookfair’

‘Facilities such as the Old Court Room should continue to be used to benefit the community as a whole’

‘This Bookfair is a very valuable asset to St Albans shopping for Christmas especially.  The range of books is excellent’

‘The Bookfair provides a unique opportunity to obtain first class and worthwhile Christmas presents. The Bookfair is an institution and must be preserved’