The Bournemouth English Book Centre (BEBC), formed in 1974, was Britain's first specialist bookshop supplying books and aids for the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL / ELT / TESOL / TEFL).

Initially opened in Bournemouth to service the needs of the local language school community (the largest outside London), BEBC quickly established a reputation for speed, service and stockholding. This formed the basis for the company's growth throughout the private language school market in the UK, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Europe, and then truly world-wide.

John Walsh, the Managing Director, is widely respected in the ELT field. He writes on ELT matters for The Bookseller, Britain's book trade magazine, and is an occasional contributor to the EL Gazette, the professional newspaper for teachers.

BEBC houses a 15,000 square foot (1400 sqm) warehouse in Poole, Dorset boasting the latest in distribution technology.  The Poole site also incorporate its customer service, accounts, marketing and management offices.

Divisions within BEBC

There are three divisions within the company - click on the link for further information:

ELT Mail Order - We supply EFL/ESOL materials from all the leading publishers, including: Actual Enterprises, Adam & Austen Press, Boyer Education, Cambridge University Press (CUP), Catt Publishing, Chancerel International (Klett), Clarity, Collins Cobuild, Delta Publishing, Educational Software Products, EFS Televsion, Express Publishing, Garnet Publishing, Georgian Press, Thomson ELT, Insearch Education, John Benjamins, Listen & Speak Publications, Pearson Education (Longman ELT), Macmillan, Mary Glasgow Magazines / Scholastic, Marshall Cavendish, MLG Publishing, NCELTR Publications, One Sided Paper, Oxford University Press (OUP), Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin ELT, Richmond Publishing,Sky Software, Summertown Publishing, Understand English, White Adder Press, WIDA, York Associates, Zastrugi. See Home page for how to order books / our full range of services.

BEBC Distribution - Providing complete order fulfilment service to publishers and book clubs.

BEBC Schoolbooks - Educational materials supply service to state and private schools in the UK and Overseas