HOWZAT

"We plan to be home for Britain’s best value copy of the book; now the invoicing issue has been resolved we’re looking forward to being just that," she said.

"We’ve not revealed the price of the book yet - that’s a closely guarded secret - but we have committed to selling it at a price that was affordable for ordinary kids." Bloomsbury has yet to reply.

Smaller independent bookshops, which cannot afford to sell the book at a loss, have spoken of their determination to bulk buy it from the supermarkets, because it is cheaper than the wholesaler. Most will still not make money on the book.

Matthew Clarke, of the Torbay Bookshop in Paignton — voted independent of the year by The Bookseller magazine — has bought wholesale stock to satisfy his customers on Friday and Saturday but is planning to go to his local Tesco for the rest of his stock because it is cheaper. He is selling the novel at £10.99 and will enter into the spirit of the launch by opening at midnight on Friday with staff dressed as wizards, and a real owl. But he will not be enjoying any profits as his margin is only £1.60 a copy.

BACKGROUND

• One eye on Harry

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Sunday Times review

• The fifth element

• Actresses are 'insane', says Daniel Radcliffe

• Potter magic at premiere turns out to be illusion

BACKGROUND

• Digital DNA could finger Harry Potter leaker

• Asda starts Harry Potter price war

• Early Potter reviews provoke Rowling outburst

• Harry Potter book leaks on to internet

• Harry Potter and the supermarket sweep

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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He said: "The magic of Harry Potter has gone mad. Nobody is making any money in the distribution of this book. Amazon, Tesco . . . are either breaking even or losing money." Asked why he bothers to sell it, he said: "Because we are a community bookshop. We do it because we have a lot of fun. But I’m pleased this is the last one."

Localbookshops.co.uk, which represents 560 independents, said that the majority of its members would also be bulk-buying from the big retailers rather than wholesalers or direct from the publishers. Chris Conway, its managing director, accused Bloomsbury of "failing to protect the value of the brand", turning novels into a commodity to be sold cheaply like cans of beans.

Charles Walker, the Conservative MP for Broxbourne, is calling for an Office of Fair Trading inquiry. He said: "This price war takes away the oxygen of economic survival from the smaller businesses, making it difficult to remain viable . . . Unfortunately, the magic of the book is lost on some people, who are just desperate to make a fast buck."

J.K. Rowling, the author, has asked bookstores selling the novel in more than 200 countries to display a poster of Madeleine McCann, the girl abducted in Portugal on May 3.

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