The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson's local bookshop celebrates 40 years in business

The Steyning Bookshop launched in Steyning High Street on December 8, 1984, and has remained with the same owners, Robin and Sara Bowers, ever since.

Sara and Robin had moved to Sussex and were looking out for a suitable place for a bookshop. They had been living in Bramber for four years when the property in Steyning became available.

It had previously been set up as a museum in memory of composer John Ireland, run by his companion and housekeeper Norah Kirby, but she had become too ill to care for it.

Sara said: "The house is 18th century and would have once stood on its own. It was in a terrible state but it was a really good location. Everything was kind of falling apart and we had to gut it.

"It had an L-shaped garden and in order to be able to afford it, as soon as we bought it, we sold a piece of land to a builder, who built a house, but we paid to retain access to the car park."

Sara said at the time, they were advised to have only a small section for children's books because they 'didn't sell'. But, as a former teacher, she was keen to expand the children's book corner and make it a big part of the shop.

She said: "We started with a tiny children's area but before long we extended out the back."

The shop's biggest claim to fame is that it is The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson's local bookshop. The Bowers are always putting on book launches for Julia's new books and sell signed copies.

Sara said they had been friends for more than 25 years and held a launch for The Gruffalo when it was first published in 1999. Then, they brought in friends and family to fill the seats but nowadays, there are big queues to meet Julia and the book signings have to be ticketed.

Over the years, the main changes Sara has seen have been in the books, rather than the customers, including a huge increase in books for children and young adults in the past 20 years.

She said: "We have had all these scares, with Kindle and television, but they don't seem to have materialised in the end. What we have noticed with Kindle coming along is a change in the presentation of books.

"The covers have become more interesting, so books have become something you want to have and possess because of the way they look. The newest thing is the spredges around the side of the books.

"Books are still very, very reasonably priced compared to other leisure activities. We are very well supported and we are really grateful to all the people who come to the bookshop and keep independent bookshops alive."

Sara runs three book groups, which meet in the bookshop kitchen. She offers a selection of the latest novels in paperback and each group picks its favourite. Sometimes authors are invited along for a question and answer session, and sometimes the choices tie in with a book signing event.

Daughter Gudrun Bowers helps run the bookshop and she is excited about the events coming up to mark the 40th anniversary.

She said: "We sell new books for all ages, have a large children's section complete with our famous book train and are also famous for our wonderful selection of greetings cards. We also run events and act as a community hub, like so many of our counterparts.

"We will be celebrating the birthday with a boozy late-night opening on Friday, December 6, a special Sunday opening on Sunday, December 8, that ties in with the always wonderful Christmas in Steyning event, a children's drawing event with Sussex-based illustrators Nick Sharratt, Sophy Henn, Adam Stower and Steven Lenton, and a number of other small events, including craft workshops."

More information about the birthday events can be found at www.steyningbookshop.co.uk