This week our Trader of the Week is The New Bookshop in Cockermouth. 

The store operates as a bookshop and also a cafe and has proved to be very popular with the people of Cockermouth and also those visiting. 

The shop has been a firm favourite for many years and was a family-run business until it recently came under new ownership. 

The shop is still keeping in with what the customers have loved for so many years and it is very much a bustling place within Cockermouth's community. 

Louise Heaton, the owner of the shop, said: "I bought the shop in November, it's very much a community hub and is a much-loved shop that is now under new ownership. 

"I'm hoping to keep it as the much-loved bookshop that it's been over the years."

The shop was owned by the same family since the late 1960s and prior to that, it was a chemist. It was then taken over and ran as a bookshop ever since. 

The business was recently put up for sale and then bought by Louise who is continuing with what the shop has always offered. 

Times and Star: The window display at the store The window display at the store (Image: The New Bookshop)

She continued: "It's a complete change for me and a new chapter. We're a bookshop and a coffee shop and we run a lot of events and book clubs. 

"We're continuing to build it back up after the pandemic really and bringing back the events that we used to run from the shop. 

"We've had visits from local authors and also those who are more well-known. We've got an event on March 16 with a gentleman who has written a book about Alfred Wainwright. 

"We're also looking at getting a teacher from Keswick School to host an evening, they have written children's books and want to show people how they can write children's books themselves. 

Times and Star: Inside the store Inside the store (Image: The New Bookshop)

"We had a lady hosting an event before Christmas who had just released a book about swimming, that was quite successful. 

"There is a story time held every Wednesday for preschoolers and school groups have visited for World Book Day."

 The store is often described as 'much loved' and it has a very loyal customer base. People are said to be pleased that everything is starting back up again after the pandemic.