Hobnob Press is a publisher of books about Wiltshire and the surrounding region owned and run by local historian Dr John Chandler. On these webpages you will find details of all Hobnob titles, books distributed but not published by Hobnob Press, and an order form which you can print off and send. I plan to include shortly an online ordering and payment facility.

Background

Hobnob Press was established in 1983 by Tony Martin (then proprietor of the Everyman Bookshop, Salisbury) to publish John Chandler’s history of Salisbury, Endless Street. During the 1980s Tony published four more local books under the Hobnob Press imprint, all now out of print, but after 1988 the press fell silent. Tony sold his Salisbury shop (it no longer sells books), then ran bookshops in Southampton and Ringwood, but is not currently bookselling; John subsequently wrote other books about Wiltshire and regional history for Sutton Publishing and Ex Libris Press, and has for many years conducted historical research for archaeologists. In 2001 Hobnob Press was revived by John Chandler (with Tony Martin’s encouragement), to publish quality local books at an affordable price from a South Wiltshire base once again. In 2005 Hobnob Press took over the distribution of another Wiltshire publisher, Ex Libris Press (see below). Since 2005 also premises for storage and distribution have been leased at Sutton Veny, near Warminster, although all editorial matters continue to be dealt with at East Knoyle. In 2009 a collaboration began with Simon Fletcher of Bank House Books, and we also work alongside Wessex Books and Spire Books, whilst retaining our independence. For the future we intend to concentrate on Print-on-Demand and short run editions of local and (Wessex) regional history titles. You can find out more about our plans on the Publishing with Hobnob Press page.

Progress

By the end of 2010 some seventy-five titles have been published or are in production, together with ten annual issues of Sarum Chronicle, a journal devoted to the history of Salisbury and its district. New books regularly receive favourable reviews in the local press and historical periodicals, and most people interested in the history and landscape of Wiltshire by now will have many Hobnob titles on their bookshelves. Work on many more titles is in progress, for publication in 2011 and subsequently.

Collaborations

As well as Ex Libris Press and  Sarum Chronicle, which is published on behalf of an editorial team, Hobnob Press collaborates with other organisations, the Hatcher Review Trust, Wiltshire Record Society, and Wiltshire Buildings Record, to distribute their publications. A number of Hobnob titles have been published on behalf of or in conjunction with local organizations, including the Friends of Shaftesbury Abbey, Chippenham Civic Society, and Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum. Parish histories from John Chandler’s county history are included on Wiltshire Council’s website. Further details of these and other links will be found on the Hobnob Marketplace page of this website.

Ex Libris Press

For almost thirty years Ex Libris of Bradford on Avon has been a leading publisher of books on Wiltshire and neighbouring counties, boasting many important and entertaining books on its list. Since 2005 Hobnob Press and Ex Libris Press have collaborated in distributing their books locally and nationally: see Availability below. Brief details of Ex Libris titles will be found on the Hobnob Marketplace page of this website, and for full information visit www.ex-librisbooks.co.uk.

Facts and Figures

Postal address: Hobnob Press, PO Box 1838, East Knoyle, Salisbury SP3 6FA, UK
Telephone: 01747-830015; mobile 07946-068892
Email: john@hobnobpress.co.uk
ISBN publisher’s prefixes: 978-0-946418; 978-1-906978 

Availability

Hobnob titles are available (depending on subject area) in most Wiltshire and some Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Berkshire bookshops. Details are included on Nielsen BookNet, by which means they can be identified and ordered by and through local booksellers anywhere. Hobnob Press books are distributed nationally by wholesalers Gardners Books, 1 Whittle Drive, Willingdon Drove, Eastbourne BN23 6QH. Additional representation and distribution are undertaken by Mayfield Books and Gifts, 9 Orgreave Close, Handsworth, Sheffield S13 9NP  (email: sales@mayfield-books.co.uk; phone: 0114-2889-522).

From February 2011 local representation and trade orders in north Wiltshire (including Bradford, Devizes and Marlborough), Bath, Bristol and adjacent parts of Somerset, are handled by Roger Jones of Ex Libris Press (email: roger.jones@ex-librisbooks.co.uk; phone: 01225-865191). Representation and trade orders in south Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire are handled by John Chandler of Hobnob Press (email john@hobnobpress.co.uk; phone: 01747-830015 ).  

Terms

For details and direct orders phone or email.

[website last updated 3 February 2011]