Harry Potter mania may be in full flow, but the arrival of the young wizard’s fifth adventure has not been spellbinding for smaller independent book sellers that struggle to compete with cut-price deals offered by the big boys on the high street.

One such example is Henry Roberts book shop in Kendal, where the fiction section now makes up only a relatively small proportion of the 50,000 titles on its shelves.

Instead, the shop is making a name for itself as a specialist in niche markets such as local interest and local history, military and world history, and crafts and hobbies.

Henry Roberts first opened in 1890 on Stramongate, before moving to larger premises just up the road on Finkle Street in 1905, and then returning to its present site on Stramongate in 1985.

The present building dates back to the 15th century, according to shop manager John Halden, and was once the town house of the wealthy Bellingham family, once owners of Levens Hall from 1487 to 1685.

Part of the premises was once occupied by Agnes Harker, sister of famous circumnavigator Captain Cook.

Today, it is said to be the oldest building in Kendal that is housing a retail unit. While the shop may have a rich history, no one could accuse the business of operating in the past.

Earlier this year, Henry Roberts took over the North West agency for Ordnance Survey Options, offering the national mapping agency’s complete range of business graphic and leisure products.

Using the very latest high-speed internet broadband technology, the shop can download large scale OS maps covering the whole country, including Siteplan, Landplan and Superplan map data which is widely used by builders, architects and engineers.

The service is also in demand from local farmers needing detailed maps showing the size of their fields for agricultural subsidy application forms.

The agency was previously held by The Westmorland Gazette.

Maps are available in digital format as well as hard copies, enabling Henry Roberts to send orders by email if customers prefer it.

Mr Halden said the shop had seen an upsurge in business and secured a new customer base since taking over the Ordnance Survey agency.

Henry Roberts – owned by Paul and Ruth Farrar, directors of PR Books Ltd - also stocks a wide selection of travel books, guides and OS maps.

Mr Halden said his ambition was to make the shop a “centre for mapping excellence, the Stamfords of the north” – a reference to the well-known London-based maps and travel books specialist.

“We are trying to create the widest selection possible for UK and worldwide guides and travel books,” he added.

The whole shop has also been refurbished and redecorated, both inside and outside, to help to raise its profile in the town.

Mr Halden said the business had experienced a notable drop in footfall in recent years, particularly at lunchtimes, following the closure of the Axa and Scottish Provident offices nearby, and the new investment was part of a concerted effort to put Henry Roberts back on the town’s retail map.

However, in common with a number of other traders in the centre of Kendal, he is concerned about proposals by Cumbria County Council for strict new loading and unloading restrictions in the town, which he says will make it harder to run a business in Kendal.