[GeoffC]

A BBC Scotland take on the issue of bookstores ...

The publishing industry is heading for the London Book Fair, at a time of unprecedented challenge, and a real threat that many British towns and cities could be left with no bookshop.

Experts reckon we're close to a tipping point from paper to electronic books.

In the UK, it is at about 5% of the market, but growing fast, whereas in the United States, it has reached 10%.

Amazon announced in the middle of last year that book downloads were outnumbering its sales of hardbacks. By the end of last year, they had outstripped paperbacks.