A female-owned independent bookstore is getting back into the city’s thriving literary scene this weekend, after its owner closed the shop following harassment.

Sheffield’s Independent Book Festival (SIBFest) is launching for the first time on Saturday and is set to bring a wave of literary celebration to the city.

The two-day festival includes a bookshop crawl on Saturday and a market place hosting local Sheffield poets and famous guest authors, including Manya Wilkinson, Michelle Tea and Steve Webb, on Sunday.

Independent bookshops are often seen as a calm, inclusive environment, but for many women who run them the reality is much more complex.

The event has been organised with the help of local independent booksellers, including Novel, which closed on 11 January 2026.

Novel’s owner, Kate Nixon, 31, made the tough decision to close her shop on School Road in Crookes indefinitely, due to persistent harassment.

The Sheffield community was very supportive, following the closure. Local businesses commented heartfelt messages on her Instagram post regarding her shop closure.

Miss Nixon told Sheffield Wire how Cloud Coffee has supported her business, allowing Novel to run a distribution operation from its premises. She said the staff were “incredibly sweet” to offer their space.

Regarding the update of her shop, she said: “Sales are down, which I think is a little inevitable, given a big pull to shopping independently is the interaction you have with booksellers and the personal recommendations we give.”

However, she explained that having an active social media following and 1,500 people subscribed to Novel’s newsletter, she has been able to move the business online.

Despite the difficulties Novel has faced, Miss Nixon’s involvement in organising SIBFest highlights the company’s commitment to the local literary community.

The festival will support them in return, as 100% of its takings will go to Sheffield’s bookshops, local authors and to the independent book trade.

Miss Nixon said: “This is an amazing opportunity for us to see our regular customers and also connect with new people.

“We’ve got some smaller publishing houses selling on the day who wouldn’t be able to afford rent, bills, business rates and the other operating costs associated with taking on a physical shop.”

SIBFest offers a new and exciting opportunity for independent bookshops, particularly female-owned businesses, to move beyond the challenges they face.

SIBFest takes place on 25 and 26 April, find out more here.