Renowned writer Philip Pullman has called for a reintroduction of a minimum price for books to protect independent bookshops, calling them “the lantern bearers of civilisation”. But while the Booksellers Association has supported his call, the Publishers Association has argued that different measures are needed.

Speaking to the Sunday Times yesterday (30th July), Pullman, who is president of the Society of Authors, lamented the dissolution of the Net Book Agreement in 1997, which meant that all books were sold at the same price, aside from occasional discounting in special circumstances.

He said: “There is an insane, inhumane and perverted belief that the market knows best, and that it is something natural, like gravity, which we can do nothing to alter. But of course we can alter the way the market works. It’s a human construction.”

He added: “I very much want independent booksellers to survive and prosper. It’s not exaggerating to say that they are the lantern bearers of civilisation.”

He was speaking after indie booksellers slammed heavy discounting on pre-orders of his much-anticipated title La Belle Sauvage, the first in the Book of Dust series, set to be released on 19th October (Penguin Random House and David Fickling Books). The title’s r.r.p. is £20, but many retailers such as Amazon, Tesco, W H Smith, Waterstones and Foyles are selling it for £10.

Pullman calls for reintroduction of fixed book prices