Gazelle Book Services is a one-stop shop for all your distribution needs, with everything under one roof

Our ethos at Gazelle Book Services is simple: true success comes from building genuine, lasting partnerships.

We maintain a high standard of responsibility and honesty, treating every publisher and customer like a partner, and ensuring you feel confident and supported from the first phone call to the final delivery.

Gazelle Book Services is a one-stop shop for all your distribution needs, with everything under one roof.

Our ethos at Gazelle Book Services is simple: true success comes from building genuine, lasting partnerships.

We maintain a high standard of responsibility and honesty, treating every publisher and customer like a partner, and ensuring you feel confident and supported from the first phone call to the final delivery.

What Makes Us Gazelle?

Trust & Reliability

We honour our commitments, ensuring every book is handled securely and every order is fulfilled accurately and on time, making us a partner you can unconditionally rely upon.

Expert Knowledge

We're book trade veterans, but we never stop learning. We continuously invest in our team's understanding of the current key global territories and market dynamics.

High Customer Satisfaction

Our ultimate measure of success is the satisfaction of our partners. We strive to provide personalised, accessible, and proactive service.

Honesty & Integrity

We operate with complete transparency. Our entire team is committed to working with honesty and integrity to resolve any query, large or small.

These values ensure that Gazelle Book Services remains a stable, principled, and highly effective partner dedicated to the long-term prosperity of your books.

Since 1987, Gazelle Book Services has been the independent distribution partner that publishers genuinely trust.

We take the complexity out of the book trade by operating with total honesty, transparency, and the seasoned expertise only decades in this field can provide. We are fundamentally driven by a fierce passion for the stories, ideas, and vital knowledge books deliver. We treat every title we handle as if it were our own, ensuring it reaches and captivates its audience.

Our base in Lancaster isn't just a warehouse. It's the secure hub where your stock is stored safely and moved quickly. Our team has spent decades building deep, reliable relationships with every major player: from high-street bookshops to leading academic institutions across the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world. Think of us as the dedicated extra hands you always wanted, flawlessly managing your entire supply chain with unmatched efficiency and care. We work relentlessly to guarantee your titles achieve maximum exposure and the very best placement.

Choosing Gazelle Book Services means you receive a highly personal, dedicated service. We provide comprehensive reports on sales, marketing, and stock, handing control directly to you. We are your stable, expert team, completely focused on driving and sustaining your success.

Our management team

While our technology handles the complexity of logistics, our service is fundamentally powered by people. Gazelle Book Services operates with a genuine family ethos, fostering a dedicated and stable team that genuinely cares about your success. We believe that professional efficiency should always be matched by approachability. Our team members are experienced industry specialists, but we ensure they remain highly accessible.

We pride ourselves on always being on hand to assist our clients with any questions or queries, big or small. This personal commitment ensures you always speak to someone knowledgeable who can provide accurate information and rapid assistance, reinforcing the supportive nature of our relationship.

Marvin Blagden

Director
• Over 35 years’ experience in logistics, joining Gazelle in 2014 and transitioning into the book industry

• Now Director of Gazelle, leading the company’s growth into a recognised market leader

• Brings a positive, collaborative approach, with a strong focus on people and partnerships

• Enjoys books, film, current affairs, and is a loyal (and optimistic) Chelsea supporter

Keith R. Evans, K.C.

Non-Executive Director
• Canadian-qualified lawyer (LL.B, Dalhousie; LL.M, University of Sydney)

• Over 30 years’ experience as a corporate lawyer and C-suite executive

• International experience across Asia, the UK, and Canada

• Joined the Gazelle Board, supporting strategic and legal oversight

Billy F. K. Howorth

General Manager
• Former manager of Carnforth Bookshop, a leading UK independent bookseller

• Shortlisted for British Bookseller of the Year (2016, 2017, 2018)

• Published author of multiple local history titles (Amberley Publishing)

• Brings commercial insight across bookselling, publishing, and retail

Simon Oliphant

Warehouse Manager
• Over 22 years at Gazelle, progressing from warehouse operative to Warehouse Manager

• Extensive hands-on experience across all warehouse operations

• Deep understanding of stock control, logistics, and distribution processes

• Provides practical insight across the full supply chain

Yasmine Upton

Accounts Manager
• Qualified bookkeeper with a focus on accuracy, organisation, and financial clarity

• Keeps accounts streamlined, efficient, and stress-free

• Qualified British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter with a passion for communication

• Brings a precise, positive, and approachable style to her work