Castle Books secures its future – and gives back 

2026 has begun on a high for Castle Books, Totnes’s much-loved community bookshop. Not only has  its future at 4 Castle Street been secured, but it enjoyed a record year of trading in 2025 enabling it to give back generously to local literary causes.

This donation will help fund new books

What makes Castle Books’ achievements particularly impressive is that there are no paid staff – the shop is run entirely through the energy, commitment and goodwill of a dedicated team of volunteers. And besides its shelves of second-hand titles and rare literary gems it has a mission that many people may not know. As a Community Interest Company, Castle Books reinvests its profits back into the shop and the wider community, aiming to promote a love of books, reading and creative writing across Totnes.

Among this year’s beneficiaries, Totnes St John’s C of E Primary School and The Grove School have both been awarded grants by the bookshop of £1,000 each for the purchase of books and other literary materials.

“Castle Books’ £1,000 donation was the best possible Christmas present for our children at St John’s Primary School,” said Rachel Patterson, Headteacher. “We are in the process of ordering a range of texts that will educate, inspire and support every child in our school; to say that we are incredibly grateful is an understatement!”

For The Grove School, the donation was particularly timely, explained Literacy Head, Vikki Drew:  “We are just about to open a quiet reading space which the children will be able to enjoy at lunchtimes and throughout the day. This donation will help fund new books for the space which will make such a difference to the children and help foster a love of reading. We are so grateful to Castle Books for this very generous donation.”

Totnes Library, a long-standing partner and regular recipient of Castle Books funding, was awarded £1,000 to help sustain its vital role at the heart of the town. “Castle Books’ regular and generous annual donations have allowed us to make improvements to the library that we couldn’t otherwise have afforded, including our dedicated teen area and workspace, “ said Library Supervisor Rosie Johnson. “This year we plan to use our donation to buy a new couch for our Children’s library, and some paint to refresh the walls and brighten the space up.”

Completing the list of beneficiaries is Totnes’s occasional Pop-Up Poetry Shop, which received a £300 donation to help nurture local creative voices. “Thanks to a significant donation from Castle Books, the Poetry Pop-Up Shop will have a second event on Totnes High Street at the end of January,” said founder and organiser Harula Ladd. “Visitors can look forward to daily writing workshops, poetry performances, and on the spot personalised poems typed the old-fashioned way in just three minutes. All this and more, for FREE, from Tuesday 27 January to Sunday 1 February.”

Castle Books has been operating as a community bookshop since 2016, though the site itself has housed a second-hand bookshop for over half a century. Today, it remains a familiar and welcoming presence on Castle Street, cherished by local residents and visitors alike.

For the last two years, with the freehold of 4 Castle Street up for sale and its lease coming to an end, the future of Castle Books was in doubt. Now, with the renewal of its lease assured, volunteers and customers can look forward to 2026 and beyond.

The bookshop’s story is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together. From donated books and volunteer hours to grants that strengthen schools, libraries and the arts, Castle Books continues to prove that a small shop can have a big impact – and that Totnes’s love affair with books is very much alive and well.