Book superstores `to take 20% of market'

THE CHAIRMAN of Borders, the American bookseller which is expanding in the UK, predicted yesterday that US-style book superstores could soon account for 20 per cent of the UK market, matching their penetration in America, writes Nigel Cope.

Bob DiRomualdo, chairman of Borders which bought the Books etc chain last year, said that though book superstores are in their infancy in Britain, the combination of larger ranges, together with magazines, music and coffee bars, would grab market share. "In the US superstores have captured a large share of the book market and we believe the concept will travel," he said.

Borders is to open its first superstore in Britain today on London's Oxford Street.

Waterstone's, which has one superstore in Glasgow, yesterday acquired 10 branches of Student Bookshops from the administrators. The stores (mostly on university campuses) will be rebranded as Waterstone's.