Subsidies cannot, and should not, save independent shops. Owners and publishers have to make them unique places to visitBookshop owners in Britain could be forgiven for casting envious glances across the Channel as they watch their French counterparts successfully fight government attempts to increase VAT on printed books. "Culture should be a political priority," the Socialist presidential candidate François Hollande has been quoted as saying, a view that has strong resonance in a country where discounting books beyond 5% is still forbidden and independent bookshops are supported by tax breaks.By contrast, independent booksellers in the UK feel only the cold air of commerce as they open their doors to the dwindling number of customers who still brave Britain's high streets ...