ROSS BRADSHAW

Ross Bradshaw worked at Mushroom Bookshop, a radical bookshop on Heathcote Street, from the late 1970s to 1990s. When Ross first visited Nottingham, he recalled a sign saying “Socialism will come riding a bicycle” and quickly made his move in 1979. The bookstore had multiple collective owners, Ross being the 5th member. Their focus was not only to sell political, fiction and alternative content books but also to create a safe space for like minded people, by selling candles and incense. In this bookshop, there was a famous noticeboard where the community would come together and even meet their potential partners through the “Lonely Hearts” adverts.

Overtime, the focus of the bookstore moved away from the candles and incense, emphasising on the books. The shop, where it was solely located on Number 10 Heathcote Street, was getting more and more packed, so the owners decided to expand the bookstore by negotiating with their neighbouring tenants. With the expansion, Mushroom could increase their events offering and also enhance their children’s book section, feminist and LGBTQ+ content books.

In 1987, Mushroom had imported a banned book written by Peter Wright entitled ‘Spycatcher’ for its content covering the actions of a Senior Intelligence Officer and put it on full window display. Ross recalls a police officer visiting the shop asking “Do you realise that book is illegal?”. When Ross confirmed that he did, the police officer wished him “Goodluck” and left. Subsequently, in 1994, the bookshop was raided and attacked by a group of over 30 fascists. Unfortunately, Ross bore the brunt of the attack as he attempted to hold the door shit. Shortly after the attack, Ross left the bookstore and established Five Leaves Bookshop near Market Square, which was allegedly less politically driven than Mushroom. Mushroom Bookshop eventually shut down in the early 2000s.