'Britain's Rudest Bookseller' Sells Bookshop

 

Bloomindales

Known as "Britain's rudest bookseller" and "the Basil Fawlty of books," Steve Bloom, owner of Bloomindales in Hawes, has sold his store and left the business, Richmondshire Today reported.
Bloom, who admits to being "medium to low rude," received widespread criticism earlier this year for charging a 50 pence (about 65 cents) fee for browsing in the used store. Twenty complaints about that and his general behavior were lodged with the local parish council, but Bloom continued to require the fee. Townspeople said he was rude in other ways as well.
"I hope that none of the people who have been trying to drive me out are claiming any kind of victory, because it isn't," Bloom said. "I have left of my own free will.
"It got very difficult sitting in my shop listening to people talking about me as the man who charges 50p entry," Bloom continued. "I will not miss the moaning. I'd be sitting there and have to listen to people saying 'This is the shop that was on the news' and 'He's the one who charges entry just to look at his books' and it gets to me.... I gained a certain notoriety and I suppose much of it was of my own invention but I don't have regrets."

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