Today we received the news that the British wholesaler Bertrams is being acquired by its competitor Entertainment UK. I suppose consolidation is inevitable. Publishers will no doubt disagree on whether the potential benefits of greater efficiencies might or might not be outweighed by the risks of reduced competition. I would be very interested in the views of retailers, particularly independent booksellers, who rely on high-quality, cost-effective service from wholesalers.
Yesterday I published the top ten bestsellers from Pan Macmillan South Africa. Now it's the turn of Ireland and Gill & Macmillan.