Welsh books in spotlight at WHS

W H Smith has unveiled plans for a Welsh Book of the Month offer as part of its strategy to overhaul its stores' offer in Wales. Its move came as a landmark review of the Welsh publishing industry was published this week.

WHS' promotion has been tailored in conjunction with the Welsh Books Council, which will make recommendations for the slot and assist with stock management through its distribution centre. The first book of the month in April will be Mike Parker's Coast to Coast, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.

WHS has been criticised for neglecting local interest titles in its stores outside England, and recently announced similar plans to overhaul its offer in its Scottish stores (The Bookseller, 12th March).

A further promotion showcasing English-language Welsh books will be rolled out in WHS' 32 branches in Wales from May. This offer will vary according to the size of store, and will be backed by point-of-sale material.

The revamped offer is also in response to a review of English-language Welsh books published by the Culture, Welsh Language & Sport Committee, which urged booksellers, libraries and publishers to emphasise the importance of local writing and of marketing such titles.

Wales represents 5% of the UK's population but its publishers produce fewer than 0.3% of English language titles, the report noted. "Publishers are few in number, inadequately resourced, have small profits and sluggish cashflows, and are overdependent on subsidy from public sources."

Lack of money was stifling creativity and ambition, it said, and funding from the Welsh Books Council should be used to help to generate better editorial and marketing approaches. Bookshops and libraries needed to do more to promote Welsh books, the report's authors added.

It also called for Wales' Book of the Year awards to be enhanced to encourage Welsh writing in English, and extended to take in prizes for the publishing sector. The report's recommendations have been welcomed by the Welsh Books Council and publishers. Wales' culture minister will now respond and make decisions on extra funding.