A former nurse has turned her lifelong love of books into a new independent bookshop and tearoom in Sunderland city centre, with support from the North East BIC helping her navigate the journey into business.
Hayley Beckinsale opened Chapter 13 on Frederick Street in Sunderland on 13th July, following a 16-year career in nursing.
The independent bookshop and tearoom has been created as a welcoming, relaxed space where customers can browse new and pre-loved books, enjoy a coffee and spend time with friends or simply settle down with a book of their own.
Chapter 13 stocks a carefully curated selection of books, with a particular focus on romance, fantasy, thrillers and contemporary fiction, alongside children’s books, book-related gifts and accessories. Its tearoom offers coffee, tea, hot chocolate and light refreshments.
Hayley had no previous business experience before embarking on her new venture, having spent her working life in nursing. The idea for Chapter 13 had, however, been in the back of her mind for years.
She said: “I’d always joked about having a little bookshop and coffee shop when we were on holiday, but I never thought it would actually happen. I’d been in nursing for 16 years and then there were so many changes in my job that I became unhappy and knew I needed a change.
“My husband said, ‘Why don’t you just try?’ So, I started looking into how I could make it happen and it just grew from there.”
Having never started a business before, Hayley initially had little awareness of the support available to new entrepreneurs. After receiving a government start up loan, Hayley was introduced to the BIC, which began supporting her as she secured her dream premises and started preparing for launch.
Business adviser Hina Joshi supported Hayley throughout her start-up journey.
She said: “Hayley had a clear passion for what she wanted Chapter 13 to become, but she was completely new to running a business. It has been fantastic to see her take that idea and turn it into a real space that has already received such a positive response from the local community.
“Our role was to help Hayley understand what support was available and connect her with the right people and services. From funding and business planning through to social media support, we’ve been able to help her build her confidence and develop the skills she needs to take Chapter 13 forward.”
For Hayley, support with social media has been particularly valuable, with the BIC helping her access specialist support to manage and develop her online presence.
She said: “The social media side of it was big for me because I’d never had to do anything like that before.
“Hina put me in contact with other people and gave me a bit of direction about where I could get extra help. Having that support has taken a big weight off my shoulders.”
Hayley added: “The BIC has been a massive help because I’ve never done anything like this before. I didn’t know there was help out there for new businesses, so having people reach out and say, ‘Have you thought about this?’ or ‘Did you know you could get support with that?’ has been amazing.
“I honestly don’t think I would have known where to start without their help. It’s made the whole process feel much more manageable.”
Since opening its doors, Chapter 13 has already received a positive response from customers, with Hayley describing its first month as ‘amazing’.
She said: “I can’t believe people keep coming in. It’s been really busy. When I had the idea of opening a bookshop, I had a vision of myself sitting reading my book with people popping in, but it’s literally been non-stop.
“People keep saying they’ve been waiting for something like this to open in Sunderland and the reception has just been incredible.”
Looking ahead, Hayley has ambitious plans to develop Chapter 13 as a community hub for book lovers. She is already planning author signings and events, book clubs, creative book-themed activities and a queer art market, while also working with local authors.
The start up support Hayley received from the BIC was originally available up to the end of March 2026 as part of the Enterprising Sunderland project, supported through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme which was managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership. Funding to continue Enterprising Sunderland up to the end of December 2026 has been secured as part of Sunderland’s Business Support Programme, which is funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Integrated Settlement.
Cllr James Jackson, portfolio holder for housing, business and regeneration at Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s great to see local entrepreneurs like Hayley turning their ideas into reality and creating new businesses that add something special to Sunderland’s communities.
“Independent businesses play an important role in our local economy, creating new opportunities and helping our city’s high streets and neighbourhoods thrive. Providing the right support to people taking that first step into business is vital, and it’s encouraging to see Hayley making the most of the support available to build her new venture.”