Gulp Fiction, the independent Oxford bookshop that combines books with coffee, beer and cultural events, has applied for a licence to open a new city-centre venue on Broad Street.
The proposed shop would occupy the former Mountain Warehouse premises at 6 Broad Street, a prominent two-storey unit that was previously home to Cath Kidston. The site sits at the opposite end of the street from Blackwell’s, whose historic Broad Street bookshop has been trading since 1879.
If approved, the new Gulp Fiction would be significantly larger than the business’s existing shop in the Covered Market.
The licensing application describes the proposed venue as a “bookshop and cafe-bar over ground and first floors”, with a basement containing toilets and plant equipment. The plans would combine book retail with food and drink service.
The application also seeks permission for live and recorded music, alongside community literary events.
“The venue has a relaxed cafe character with regular live and recorded music and community literary events,” the application says.
The proposed opening hours vary across the week and could allow the Broad Street shop to remain open later into the evening than the existing Covered Market location.
From the Covered Market to Broad Street
Gulp Fiction opened in the Covered Market in February 2022, becoming the market’s first bookshop since the Little Bookshop closed in 2003.
Its arrival brought a slightly different proposition to Oxford’s traditional bookselling scene: a curated selection of fiction alongside coffee and beer, with the shop also developing an events programme.
The business has since expanded its Covered Market premises to include a second floor.
Evening events have become part of its identity, including jazz sessions and literary events. This autumn, the programme includes a conversation with author Mark Bowles about his latest novel, How Do People Stay the Same.
The proposed Broad Street venue would appear to build on that model, bringing together books, food and drink and live cultural programming in a considerably larger city-centre space.
Gulp Fiction describes itself as an independent UK bookshop focused on books selected by booksellers rather than algorithms, with collections spanning literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy and modern classics.
Its emphasis is on discovery rather than simply stocking the biggest bestsellers, with staff recommendations intended to help customers find books they might otherwise overlook.
An independent bookseller expands
The Broad Street application represents the latest stage in the development of a business that began in Oxford’s Covered Market and has established a following among local residents, students and visitors.
Oliver Mason, Gulp Fiction’s founder, previously said the response to the first shop had been encouraging.
“It’s been going well – it’s nice to see local people embracing what we are doing and tourists and students too,” he said.
The shop has also used food and drink as a way of encouraging customers to spend more time in the store. A previous promotion offered customers a free coffee when they bought a book from selected displays.
The new proposal would take that bookselling-and-hospitality model into one of Oxford’s most recognisable retail streets.
A changing Broad Street
The application comes as the Covered Market itself faces a major programme of redevelopment, with plans for a £7 million overhaul of the historic market.
Read more: Oxford Covered Market: How the £8m regeneration could reshape a historic landmark
For Gulp Fiction, a second location on Broad Street would therefore provide an opportunity to establish a presence outside the Covered Market while retaining the character that has helped distinguish its original shop.
The proposed venue would also add another bookshop to a street with an unusually strong literary identity.
Blackwell’s has occupied its Broad Street home for almost 150 years, while the new Gulp Fiction would bring a contemporary independent bookselling model to the other end of the street.
The licensing application will now be considered by Oxford City Council. If permission is granted, the new venue would add another destination for books, coffee, drinks and cultural events to one of the city centre’s busiest streets.
Reporting contribution by Isabella Harris, Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Oxfordshire, covering local politics, council meetings and planning decisions across six councils in the county.
