Trustees from one shop in Hertfordshire made an impassioned plea to save outlets like theirs, amid a “sad” spate of closures.
Susan Taylor (picture with her husband, Keith) told Premier that the Letchworth Christian Bookshop is like a community “hub”. “We’ve had someone come in recently who’s only just moved to Letchworth”, she said.
“She comes in most days because she says it’s been a lifeline to her, to get to chat to people and know people.”
Premier has previously reported how stores in places including Inverness and Ipswich have said dwindling footfall is forcing them to close.
It is thought the growing popularity of online shopping and e-books are partly to blame – as well as commercial rental costs.
Describing how they struggle to compete with internet-based retailers on price, Susan Taylor added: “You have the overhead of the shop to take into account.
“So, you’ve got to sell them to make a profit. Although we’re a non-profit making organisation, we’ve still got to cover wages, resourcing the shop and the rent.”
Click here to listen to Premier’s Craig Wakling speaking with Susan Taylor at the Letchworth Christian Bookshop:
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