Hold Fast Bookshop: Inside Leeds' quirkiest book shop making national waves after scrapyard rescue
A once-derelict coal barge rescued from a scrapyard has been transformed into one of the country’s quirkiest independent bookshops.
Moored at Leeds Dock, Hold Fast Bookshop was a surprise hit after it opened in late 2022, attracting bibliophiles from across Yorkshire and beyond to browse shelves aboard the lovingly restored Marjorie R.
Co-owners Victoria and Chris Bonner said the boat, which was built in 1946 in Knottingley, was “like a burnt out shell” when they began their ambitious restoration project.
“We already owned the boat and we did it up from scratch. It was like a burnt out shell when we got it,” Victoria told Local TV. “Leeds really needed a bookshop and we had a space, so we put this together.
“We were really surprised by how popular it was - we thought it might be something little that a few people might pop on, but it has really developed. It has its own character and it’s just such a lovely bookshop.”
Chris added: “She was built in 1946 in Knottingley. On the first day that she was completed, Marjorie Read smashed a bottle on the side and Christened her.
“This was back when ship-building was a much bigger thing. All of the kids would have a day off school and they climbed on the boat. I like to think that we’re continuing that experience.”
Stepping aboard the bookshop is an unexpected experience for many visitors, as Victoria explained: “It’s really nice when people walk down the stairs because everyone says it’s bigger than it looks, which it is somehow.”
The shop is stocked with a mix of new and second-hand books, as well as gifts and plants - many of which have become part of Chris’ own running joke.
He said: “All of the plants that we sell have a name and that’s a really fun job in the week. I’ll be busy thinking, ‘shall I call this plant Derek or Maxine?’”
Find out more from Local TV’s visit, which you can watch in the video at the top of this page.