Surveyed
Books-on-Sea on Alexandra Street in Southend-on-Sea was opened in 2019 by Veronika, who left an academic career to run a seaside bookshop, and has been owned by Philip since 2021, who took over because of his own love of bookshops. The shop deals in second-hand and antiquarian titles, buying used books from customers as well as selling them, and stocks Southend-themed gifts and souvenirs alongside the shelves. Philip has said he wants the shop to become a gathering point for people who share his enthusiasm for browsing rather than shopping online.