A new bookshop is preparing to open to begin a new chapter for a town's high street.

Following weeks of whispering, it has been confirmed that a new bookstore is opening in Dalton-in-Furness.

Ever After Books on Market Street will be opening its doors for the first time on July 20.

The space is owned by Edward Ford and Lia La Chapelle, who currently run a small, independent printing press and sell books online.

The couple are expanding their business to a space on the high street where you can find both new and used books across all genres, as well as rare and antiquarian editions.

They also hope to offer coffee in-store and want to dedicate a section to local writers.

While the family lives in Dalton, Edward is originally from a place near Reading and Lia moved to England from Rhode Island in America.

Lia said the bookshop is family-owned, run by herself and her husband.

“We are both booklovers and live in Dalton," she said. "There wasn't a bookshop so we decided to open one up."

She said they have a wide range of new books and are prepping the second room for used books.

They currently offer a Book Exchange online where someone purchases a book from Ever After and can trade it back at any time for a discount on their next book.

Lia said they would like for people to consider the new bookshop a community space.

She said: “We're happy to host any clubs or groups looking for a quiet place to meet, and we have a few event ideas in the works, which we hope people will find fun.”

Cllr Nick Perie visited the new shop on Saturday July 13.

He said: “I was lucky enough to be invited in and meet the shop's owners.”

He described it as a ‘fantastic’ shop and said it was a ‘very relaxing’ place with a lovely large table to sit at and decide what book you want.

He said: “The owners are lovely people and very knowledgeable, welcome to Dalton."

To start, the bookshop’s open hours will be 10am to 7pm most days with half days on Wednesday and Sunday and only closing on Monday.