They won't last six months! A bookshop in Godmanchester, they must be mad! After 28 years even our most severe critics had to admit we had become a part of the life of the town.

We were very lucky. The month we opened, the old A604 between Huntingdon and Cambridge had major roadworks and people found they did not need to go to Heffers to buy their books.

We began to supply many of the local schools and the library at RAF Brampton. We held school book fairs in our barn at the back of the house and all the teachers came to see the new books, enjoy a cup of tea and a chat.

They were very happy times which lasted until Huntingdon joined the Shire's purchasing Authority and all school books had to be bought through the County. We were given no prior warning and were left with many school books we could not sell. Half the shop shelves were empty but again we were very lucky as a lady brought some second hand books to the shop and asked if we would buy them.

This became a really interesting part of book selling and we began a Book Search for out of print books. It was like a detective story, finding the correct title or author people wanted, advertising and sending away for a book. Customers were really delighted when we found their favourite childhood book or reference book needed for their research.

The demise of the Net Book Agreement was supposed to make books cheaper but all it did was squeeze out the smaller authors and publishers, and increase the price of well known writers. Big discounts were given to chain stores and more and more books were published in the East for the supermarket trade.

We made many good friends over the years and it has been wonderful to see children, who used to buy our books, bring their own families into the shop. We miss our friends but it was time to call a halt.

We are still doing Book Search and specialising in local books, but now it is by appointment only and the shop is closed for good. We love Godmanchester, the shop is now our home and we have all the wonderful memories of 28 happy years.

Doreen Lewis