Quirky Boatshed Bookshop at Lindisfarne Castle gets new lease of life

The Boatshed Bookshop at Lindisfarne Castle sells pre-loved books to raise money towards the National Trust’s efforts to conserve the castle.

This year, the shop has been given a complete makeover thanks to the creative vision of welcome and service assistant Becca Nixon.

She said: “This is the the second year I’ve been trusted with the Boatshed Bookshop.

"When I took it on at the end of 2024, it had plenty of potential, and I was really excited to give it some love and put my own stamp on it.

"At the start of 2026, I decided to refresh it again with a brighter interior and a new ‘positivity wall’, where visitors can leave kind messages for others to enjoy.”

Becca fully restocked the shop thanks to donations from family and friends as well as a generous contribution of several boxes of books from local Berwick business, Slightly Foxed.

She added: “The response from visitors has been fantastic so far, and it’s been really rewarding to see how warmly the refreshed bookshop has been received.”

James Uttley, visitor welcome manager, added: “Becca gave the bookshop a complete makeover, creating something really special with her hard work and eye for detail.

"With fantastic support from the local community and generous donations from local bookshops and individuals, the shop raised vital funds last year to support conservation work at Lindisfarne Castle and the surrounding landscape.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this support and hope to raise even more this year to help care for this amazing place.”