CONGRATULATIONS to everyone at Unity Christian Bookshop, Petersfield, on the success of last year’s appeal for funds to prevent the shop’s closure. The successful outcome, securing the shop’s future for another year, was reported last month via the PACT (Petersfield Area Churches Together) website:
A big thank you from the manager, trustees and volunteers at the bookshop in Folly Lane, Petersfield.
[T]he Lord has blessed us indeed! Our campaign raised sufficient funds to cover the shortfall of £5,000 and enough to kick start the shop going into the New Year. So the Unity Bookshop will remain trading. Our Christian friends from far and wide have stepped forward with their financial support and prayers, without which this would have been a very different story.
The news of this successful outcome was warmly received at the PACT Annual General Meeting at St. Peter’s Church last week.
The report concludes with an invitation for readers to visit the shop — but if you live too far away to visit in person, not to worry: you can discover Unity Christian Bookshop on facebook.
SOMETIMES, IN RUNNING UKCBD/THIS BLOG, I want to make like Elijah: to simply run away, hide in a cave and wait for the inevitable. Unlike Elijah, however, I’m not being pursued by an angry Queen who wants to chop me into pieces: on the whole the Christian book/retail trade remains a very positive area to work in; and whilst the unrelenting tide of bookshop closures may feel like a tsunami overwhelming us, I don’t think God has finished with this trade yet. Refining and redefining, certainly; but finished? Far from it — and what I see happening here is far from whistling in the dark.
Allow me to offer some facts and figures:
The UKCBD database currently holds 801 records. Of those, 209 are flagged ‘Omit’, for various reasons: some are incomplete and have never made it to the live site, others are archived as businesses have relocated; only 79 (just under 10%) are specifically flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ — and only 26 have been flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ within the last 12 months. That’s not the full picture: I’m aware of a number of shops that have ceased trading (Chelmsford Christian Bookshop and Quench, St Albans are two examples) but I haven’t updated their entries yet, simply due to the constraints of time and other commitments.
On the opposite side of the coin, however, during that same period 23 new records have been added. Looking back over the last quarter alone, these include:
Some of these are brand new, launched within the last few months; some are relocated or ‘resurrected’ businesses, taking over existing premises from collapsed ventures; others are well established but had somehow slipped under the radar and never made their way into my listings; and some, quite clearly, are not ‘Christian bookshops’ as we’ve come to know them: they are all, however, part of the current Christian retailing reality, the reality that is now being refined and redefined.
Again, this isn’t the full picture: it’s rare for more than a couple of weeks to go by without someone contacting me to provide details of a shop or business that isn’t in the directory. As I prepare this post, I have records pending for several shops that I’ve only recently found out about:
On average, then, for every shop that has disappeared over the last year, another has popped up: some towns, such as Nottingham, are now without a Christian bookshop; others, such as Rotherham, have gained one; and elsewhere, more flexible ventures such as Richard Greatrex’s Windflower Books and Jenny Hickman’s Midlands Christian Books have emerged. The UKCBD database is growing, not shrinking.
Some of the chains — SPCK, Wesley Owen, Living Oasis — are broken beyond repair; others — CLC and FM Bookshops — are still in business, some branches struggling, some thriving, the strong supporting the weak. The collapse of Living Oasis and the failure of Koorong to make a go of Wesley Owen here in the UK perhaps tells us more about the shortcomings of their particular business models than it does about the trade in general.
Steve Mitchell is right in what he affirms when he says:
… it is a brave man to bet against the online business which is so rapidly growing… the charity or independent model is now the best option to maintain physical Christian stores.
But he is wrong in what he denies: because there are plenty of brave men — and women! — out there: not “betting against the online business” but integrating the online with their business models.
The future of Christian bookselling in the UK depends not upon pitting the online against the physical but upon bringing the two together. It’s a secret that lives at the very heart of our faith: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female” — and to that I add, there is no longer physical or virtual — “for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
We who are Christ’s disciples should know these things better than anyone else. Throwing people overboard in the storm is not the way of Christ. Lopping off limbs when the head says to the foot, “I don’t need you anymore,” is not the way of Christ. The only time we see Christ breaking things up is when the temple of mammon attempts to supplant the temple of God — and, coming full circle now, the remnant of Israel that God promises Elijah he will save consists of “all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
The way of Christ is the Cross: is to face impossible odds, to take the pain, to bleed and die, and then — only then — rise to new life. There are no short cuts to resurrection.
To those now feeling like limbs lopped off; to those pursuing the vision of that “well-run and nimble independent sector” that Eddie Olliffe speaks of; to those following the way of Christ regardless of personal cost: I salute you.
Update, 26/1/2011: Official announcements about the closures have now been posted by Wesley Owen: Bath | Bristol (pdfs, identical apart from the store locations and dates of closure)
The Bath Chronicle published a report on Weds 25/1/2012: Christian bookshop closes its doors
NEWS EMERGED YESTERDAY of further redundancies at Wesley Owen as the Bath and Bristol stores closed their doors for the last time; and whilst in certain respects that news — coming so soon after the weekend’s news of more job losses at TMD — might seem beyond worse, all is not yet lost: Richard Greatrex, former manager of the Bath store, has branched out independently with his own venture, Windflower Books.
Describing the project in a welcome message on the company’s newly launched website and blog, Richard writes:
Windflower Books has been in existence since 2007 as a small scale concern selling secondhand and remaindered theological books on the internet, supplying bookstalls for communities and events and publishing small runs of specialist material.
2012 sees a change in the Windflower venture as we seek to supply the needs of individuals, churches and communities in the South West who have lost their own local Christian Bookshops.
From a small start we hope to develop a system of bespoke bookselling tailored to the specific needs of each community we are working with. We are in the process of negotiating our first sites for enhanced bookstalls in local churches. Keep checking our blog, our Facebook page (Windflower Books) or our Twitter feed (windflowerbooks) for further details…
If you live in the South West and would like Richard to provide bookstall services for your church, do give him a shout: full contact details are available on the facebook page; and if you live further away, just hit that facebook Like button anyway to cheer him on.
Richard, I salute you: may the Lord bless you richly in this venture, and may your bookstalls be many and more popular than you can even begin to imagine.
Press Release, 21/10/2011: Walsall Christian Bookshop Completes Major Relocation - Opens Saturday 22nd October
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES to Luke Hughes-Bunger and his team at The Hub, Walsall, as they finalise preparations for reopening on Saturday 22nd October 2011 at their new location in Stafford Street. Adapted from the official press release, issued today:
The Hub Christian Resource Centre, Walsall, has today announced that it has completed its relocation to Stafford Street, and will be open to the public on Saturday 22nd October 2011.
Nearly 2 years after the closure of Wesley Owen and the subsequent birth of The Hub, Christian retailing in Walsall is undergoing yet another major development. The Hub, which vacated it’s former shop in The Crossing at St Paul’s in Walsall town centre less than one week ago —ringing up it’s final sale there at about 4pm on Saturday 16th October — has completed the refitting of 31-31a Stafford Street in just one week, and will open this Saturday
Although renovation of the former White Mountain store — which had sat empty for over 12 months — had been ongoing for several weeks, the fact that the staff and volunteers have completed the transformation, with no outside contractors, is nonetheless testament to their passion for the shop, their mission to keep Christian books, music, cards, gifts and resources on the high street of Walsall, and the belief of all of those who volunteered, that Christian retailing is important, and the service offered is worth preserving.
Director Luke Hughes-Bunger said,
First and foremost, we must thank each and every person who has helped us throughout these last weeks and months. Without our numerous volunteers, drivers, painters, decorators, handymen and women and well-wishers, as well as those who have supported us in prayer and financially, this move would not have been possible.
We must also thank God. Without him, there would be no reason for The Hub to even exist. It is because of Him that so many people have given so much and have continued to support the work we do.
The move, which has been on the cards for several months, is in response to numerous factors, including the ongoing recession, increasing costs, the seismic shift in the layout of Walsall’s town centre, and a desire to diversify and beyond what would have been possible at The Crossing at St Paul’s to name just a few.
Luke explains:
The move came about for a variety of reasons, you can’t put your finger on any one thing which made us say ‘go’. Everything just fell into place, and just at the right time, to make it possible, which is often how we have found God to move in these circumstances.
The recession is real, and shows no signs of letting up. We cannot simply bury our heads in the sand and hope the storm will pass. If we believe that there is still a place for Christian bookshops on the high street, which we do, then we must be proactive in finding ways to secure the survival of our shop.
It’s a buyers market right now, and the cost savings which can be achieved by moving just a few minutes away from the town centre, is very significant.
The Hub leaves The Crossing, which has been the home to Walsall’s Christian bookshop since St. Paul’s converted the ground floor to a shopping centre more than14 years, and moves to Stafford Street, the home of The Beacon, Walsall’s first independent Christian bookshop.
Christine Bunger, also a Director of the shop, said,
It’s sort of like coming full circle. As Walsall’s layout once again changes, and development continues in this part of town following major investment in the area by Tesco, Walsall College and Walsall Housing Group, it seems fitting that The Hub is able to return home to the same street where it all began with The Beacon, more than 40 years ago. Once again, an independent Christian Bookshop sits pride of place on Stafford Street.
Luke explained further:
Moving also gives us a freedom to diversify, and to grow beyond the confines of ‘The Crossing’ our home since we opened in February 2010.
That’s not to be disparaging towards our former landlords. They have been fantastic — everything we could want in a landlord in many ways — however the fact remains, much of what The Hub would like to do is already offered by St Paul’s. By moving, rather than reducing the Christian presence in the town, we are actually increasing it. St Paul’s will continue to minister to the people of the town, through the great work they do, and The Hub can minister to different people, in a different part of town.
On the celebrations front, this is this blog’s 500th post, so a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the project’s development and success over the past few years: rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who mourn, and praying constantly along the way.
Guest posts are always welcome, from authors, booksellers, publishers, suppliers and other commentators: please contact me if you’d like to contribute…
CONGRATULATIONS to Melanie and her minions at Unicorn Tree Books, Lincoln, on their 5th birthday this week: on Tuesday, August 16th, to be precise. Melanie writes:
Today is our 5th Birthday, we’ve seen an awful lot of change in those five years not only in Unicorn Tree Books (& Crafts) but in the economy, in the market and in the booktrade and we are happy to say we are still here and smiling widely!
We’ve drunk a lot of Caramel Latte’s [sic], shifted a lot of units, re-arranged how many times and seen our minions fledge and go off to found their own businesses – this bookshop boss thinks that’s one heck of an achievement and to celebrate is having a venti caramel latte today!
However I know we wouldn’t be here still today if it wasn’t for all you lovely customers and I want to say the biggest and most heartfelt THANK YOU! to all of you.
You make each day different, fun and, hey, maybe even a little more crazy than it would be even with the bookshop boss in attendance anyway – so thank you.
Read on to find out how they’re celebrating: the word ‘discount’ may tempt you…
Update, 22/08/2011: For more info on the post-NCT situation, see this statement by the Revd Phil Jump, Chair of the Living Oasis Liverpool Steering Committee, posted on facebook, 12/08/2011: Living Oasis Liverpool UPDATE
After NCT: Living Oasis Liverpool press on with the vision
Many of you may have heard that in August 2011, Nationwide Christian Trust, the originators of the Living Oasis vision, were placed into liquidation. This is sad news and will be a particular disappointment to those who worked so hard to develop a national chain of Living Oasis stores.
The Liverpool store has always enjoyed a strong local support base, and has an effective local management team in place. NCT have done everything they can to enable the local team to take over sole responsibility for the store, and we are currently engaged in a number of conversations and negotiations to allow that to happen.
While there is much to be done, we remain confident that if we can retain the existing premises, the eventual opening of the store remains a very realistic possibility. Sadly there will be inevitable delays, as we cannot proceed further with the physical outfit until various legalities are completed.
We will continue to work hard to develop the Liverpool store as an independant [sic] coffee house, bookstore and centre for Christian life and mission.
Living Oasis Liverpool on facebook: Page | Profile
At the time of writing no further news about the insolvency or the status of the remaining stores (Harrogate and Watford) appears to have been released. The official Living Oasis Locations map and page are now blank, simply showing ‘No records found’, although the latest video, featuring Andy Twilley at the Watford store, is still available on youtube:
Introducing Life: Weston-super-Mare’s new Christian Bookshop
A WARM AND HEARTFELT UKCBD WELCOME to Life, Weston-super-Mare’s new Christian bookshop, which opened this week on the site of the former Living Oasis and Wesley Owen bookshops:
“Life” is the name of Weston’s new independent Christian bookshop, it is based at 13 The Centre where Living Oasis and Wesley Owen were located previously.
Here at “Life” we will aim to be more than a book shop. Yes we will be selling books, cards and gifts, as well as daily Bible reading notes etc. But this is not our sole purpose.
We would like “Life” to be a place in town where Christians can meet each other over a cup of tea or coffee for prayer, study groups or discussion.
“Life” provides a haven where Christians involved in the many and varied activities which make up church life can find encouragement and build one another up.
We want Christians to be able to meet one another and share their ideas, dreams and visions for their area, town and life, on common ground; because we believe that everyone has something to offer in the body of Christ. If we can get together on any and all levels and share what works and what doesn’t, encouraging each other, just imagine what could happen in our churches, our town, our nation…
Update, 07/10/2011: With regret, I am no longer able to commend either of Helen’s groups to readers of this blog. The links have therefore been removed. For more information about this matter, please contact me and I’ll be happy to explain privately.
HELEN McCABE has launched a new facebook group, Christian Bookshops UK, as a follow on to conversations held at this year’s Christian Resources Together. Helen explains:
I created the group after going to CRT earlier in the year as a few things become obvious to me:
Some people have some really good ideas on how to promote their bookshop in their local community which bookshops could take advantage of.
Using social media tools like FB can be great for getting involved in the community but some people just need a bit of help with how to use it.
I’m very keen on supporting our local Christian bookshops and I would like to give some general marketing help on how businesses can grow their bookshop locally in addition to some guidance on using tools like FB.
Helen also runs another group, Facebook Church UK, and says she’s happy for bookshops to share local news there as well, “as long as it doesn’t become a sales group.”
Sales down at Beacon Books, Llandudno
Wales Online 15/08/2011 - 'exceptionally difficult times'
At Kingdom Crafts [sic], manager Marian Whitaker says the store has been down £200 per week since the start of 2011.
Over the summer the position has worsened with the fair trade goods store and Christian bookshop seeing its takings plummet by £400 per week on last year.
Mrs Whitaker, whose store is on Madoc Street, which runs parallel to Llandudno’s high street, said trading conditions at the shop have been almost as challenging as at any point since it opened 10 years ago.
Mrs Whitaker said: “I think people cannot afford to come on holiday in the way that they did. And I think local people are shopping more online because they can get things cheaper.”
Eastbourne Herald, 15/08/2011: 'Things are looking up'
IN SHARP CONTRAST to the situation faced by retailers in Wales, the Eastbourne Herald features Bob Clark, who took over at Eastbourne’s Christian Resource Centreearlier this year, describing better sales than ever:
Pause for Thought with Ray Dadswell: Things are looking up
Published on Monday 15 August 2011 11:03
When so many businesses, large and small, are closing their doors, it is good to know of a local bookshop celebrating success.
Bob Clark took over management of the Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre at the beginning of 2011 and records many encouragements over the past few months.
“A particular highlight is that Bible sales are increasing dramatically, now that we have a wider choice. The same is happening with commentaries, dictionaries and concordances, all of which have been brought to the ground floor. Bible notes, too, are growing in sales, as we have a wider range and easier-view display.”
There are areas of the ministry which Bob is keen to improve.
“Communication with our ministers and pastors; our service to churches in other towns, for example, Hastings and St Leonards, Bexhill, Seaford; and the availability of ‘collectable and hard-to-find’ books, located on the first floor, which is a real treasure trove!”
LAST BUT FAR FROM LEAST, please pray for members of staff at a number of Wesley Owen bookshops who are facing redundancy as Koorong (which took over the Wesley Owen brand and eight stores in the wake of Biblica’s bungling in 2009) streamlines its UK business operations and seeks to maintain a viable business model following the implementation of new systems and central purchasing.
Steve Mitchell, Retail Director, and himself a survivor of the Biblica fallout, explains:
There are 6 people being made redundant. All of them are still working, but will leave over the next few weeks and months. Even though this is a horrible process, I am completely committed to doing this with integrity, I have met with all the staff in the shops affected, explaining what we are doing and why.
Our new systems are now fully in place and working well, so the roles and requirements for our staff teams are changing. We have implemented central purchasing so new people have joined in Milton Keynes to support Authentic & Wesley Owen, so we have been moving our staff from admin to customer service, so these changes are about aligning staff rotas with customers.
The High Street is still a very tough place to be, and whilst we are seeing good sales growth in a difficult time, we also have to have a viable business model.
We asked the shops for their input, and asked them to create the new staff rotas rather than impose it. I have met one on one with each member of staff who is going, and in fact I’m travelling this week to a branch with 2 people leaving expressly to thank them for all their hard work, and ensure they leave at least feeling respected.
Inevitably there will be unhappy people who will want to vent their feelings, that’s understandable, and I feel it’s right that I hear their voice.
The Hope Centre, is an initiative of Hope in North East Cheshire. It is based in the old Wesley Owen bookshop in Park Green, Macclesfield. It functions both as a coffee shop, and a Christian bookshop selling books, CD and other fairly traded goods. In addition to these commercial aspects is [sic] is designed to provide a beacon of hope to the people of Macclesfield.
Thirty nine churches in the area have come together to make the initiative possible and have been working on the project for the best part of a year now. From the minutes of a meeting held on July 18th 2010:
It is envisaged that the ground floor will contain a small coffee bar selling light refreshments, an information area where services and events in all churches and Hope in North East Cheshire will be available as well as access to other forms of help, a retail area selling cards, books, dvd’s, etc and a computer corner where people with no access at home can be helped online. The entrance to the shop will be made wheelchair accessible and there will be a disabled toilet on the ground floor with ramp where necessary.
The actual opening date has yet to be announced, but detailed plans have been drawn up and volunteers are being recruited: congratulations to all involved!
Screenshot of Hope Centre Plans: click through for a closer view
My thanks to Mike Norbury for alerting me to this story
GOT NEWS? If you have news you’d like to share about your shop or staff, please leave a comment or contact me direct to be included in the next News Roundup…
THIS YEAR sees both the UK Christian Bookshops Directory and The Good Bookstall celebrating our tenth anniversaries: UKCBD was launched 10 years ago this month, in February 2001, whilst TGB was launched 10 years ago next month, March 2001 — and what an amazing 10 years it’s been!
We’ve seen STL expand its territory, Prayer-of-Jabez style, only to see the whole edifice here in the UK come tumbling down when they did a builder-who-didn’t-count-the-cost routine; we’ve seen the destruction of the SPCK Bookshops chain in the hands of the gruesome twosome, Messrs Phil and Mark Brewer; we’ve seen dozens of independent bookshop closures; and we’ve seen Christian Marketplace go from being a monthly independent magazine to a bi-monthly, surviving only as a subsidiary of another giant, the Premier Christian media empire.
We’ve also seen the phenomenal rise of online Christian bookseller Eden.co.uk, the emergence of the ebook and yet — in the face of all these challenges — many shops rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes of those destructions, an important reminder if ever we needed one that God isn’t interested in our ambitions and empires, no matter how much we persuade ourselves that it’s God’s kingdom we’re building — because our God, the God we meet in Jesus, isn’t ultimately found in huge presences or high profiles but is revealed rather in small and hidden things, babies born in poverty, bookshops in backstreets and market halls, and bookstalls at the back of forgotten churches. We strive for ‘Mission on the High Street’ but God calls us to mission wherever we are, with whatever we have.
5 Quid for Life
At UKCBD, I’m celebrating 10 years with a simple commitment: over the next year a minimum of 10% of all UKCBD income will be donated to the new up-and-coming charity 5 Quid for Life: A Mental Health Safety Net. It’s a project that I’ve been privileged to be part of from the outset, emerging out of a friend’s desperation as she poured out her heart over the disruption the current government’s changes to the UK benefits system would have on her. If you haven’t already done so, read about it here: Welcome to 5 Quid for Life; and if you’d like to make a donation, you can do so here: 5quidforlife.org.uk/#donate
THANK YOU to Wesley Owen Birmingham for letting me know about their commentaries sale: 25% off all commentaries; but anyone wanting a slice of the cake needs to move fast — offer ends tomorrow, Saturday 26th February. Available from all branches and online too!
Meanwhile congratulations are due to the inimitable David Chant, former WO Birmingham branch manager, who has moved on into ‘semi-retirement’ from where he should be able to spend a little more time promoting Planet BB. Have you ordered your stock yet? David’s itching to hear from you…
THE ARK is a Christian Bookshop and Café which opened its doors in 2004 and has gone on to serve the local community and churches ever since, but owner Ginny Ayling now wishes to retire and hand on the business to someone else: sale price £325,000, Freehold. Could that someone be you or someone you know?
The shop is well loved and supported by the local people. Describing the shop, the Revd Peter Salisbury, Vicar of Lymington, said:
The Ark is an important part of the Christian outreach in Lymington and is an excellent central meeting place. All the volunteers are from the local churches and the bookshop gives advice and an ordering service, which we use for our personal and church orders. The Café, which is always buzzing at lunchtime, has a very high reputation and offers friendly and personal service plus gorgeous food – I’m usually in there about once a week!
Download the Particulars of Sale or an A4 Sale Poster (both pdfs) if you’d like to know more or would like to help promote the sale.
CARDIFF CHRISTIAN BOOKSHOP is currently owned and operated by the Evangelical Movement of Wales, who have reluctantly concluded that they can no longer support the shop. From the shop’s February Prayer Letter:
The Evangelical Movement of Wales has decided most reluctantly that it must bring its support of the Cardiff Christian Bookshop to an end. This is most regrettable since it has been such a witness in the heart of the city for almost 50 years. It is, however, very keen that the work and witness should continue and would actively invite Churches and other interested Christian groups to assume responsibility for it and to come forward with proposals for its future operation. The Movement is continuing to own and support the shop in the short term and the business will continue to function as usual.
The business costs around £55,000 per year to run in terms of staffing, rent and other expenses: download the February Prayer Letter (pdf) if you’d like to know more.
More Than Another Day of Prayer
8 Days of Prayer: Launching a Season of Prayer for Christian Retail in the UK (pdf, 90kb)
JOY MCILROY of Ashburnham Books has been busy liaising with Clem Jackson at Christian Marketplace to draw up plans for another Day of Prayer for the trade — but this year it’s more than a day of prayer: the vision is for a season of prayer to run through Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday, 9th March. Announcement here: Day of Prayer for Christian Trade.
The announcement suggests sharing plans via the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group. Should you choose to do so, please note that that is a closed group, set up specifically to facilitate discussion within the trade away from the public eye — in other words, not the best forum to use if you wish to engage with others beyond the trade…
As with previous occasions I’ll be updating this site’s Day of Prayer page with news and updates as and when they emerge: please do feel free to post details of any plans there and to point members of the general public in that direction.
THE LIGHTHOUSE in Cupar, Fife, has become the latest Christian bookshop/café to feel the squeeze of the recession and has issued a call to the local community to use it or lose it.
Launched in 1987, the shop celebrates its 23rd anniversary this month and is holding a special Christmas lunch today for those who may not have anyone else to celebrate a Christmas treat with.
Talking about the current financial situation to Fife Today, manager Jane Crockett explained:
The whole ethos of the Lighthouse is about caring and sharing – even if that’s just sharing a table with people you don’t know.
We’re not about making money, we just need enough to keep going.
Lincolnshire Echo: Market traders angry as council refuses to cover cost of flooding caused by burst pipe
STALLHOLDERS have reacted with disbelief after the City of Lincoln Council refused to cover the costs of flooding in Lincoln Central Market.
Water cascaded from inside the roof of the Central Snacks café for more than half an hour on Monday morning, and ran “like a river” towards nearby Unicorn Tree Books.
But now traders Barry Reeves and Melanie Carroll say the council has told them to claim on their own insurance as the burst pipe which led to the damage was “not a maintenance issue”.
The report continues quoting Mr Reeves as he describes the appalling situation of a leak that simply went on and on pouring water into the marketplace because “the caretakers didn’t know where the stopcock was.” Yet here is the common sense advice that the City of Lincoln Council offers to householderswho may be concerned about the possibility of burst pipes in their homes:
Preventing frozen and burst pipes
Make sure you know where your stop tap is and that it is working.
How can a Council which offers that advice to householders not know where the stopcock is in its own premises — especially when it rents those premises out to other people? Prospective stallholders at Lincoln Central Market are offered the following assurance:
The City of Lincoln Council works in partnership with the regional Business Link service to provide access to all the information, advice and support needed to start, maintain and grow your business.
If you think giving Melanie and other tenants in Lincoln Central Market the brush off instead of helping them to brush up and recover from this flood is an act of negligence, please drop the City of Lincoln Council a line and say:
You made BBC Radio 4′s ‘World at One’ on December 1st when youcancelled the Lincoln Christmas Market because of the bad weather. It was a sensible decision under the circumstances. It would be an even more sensible decision to support the Lincoln Central Market which is there all year round! You have a duty of care towards your tenants to ensure that the space you’re charging them for is fit for purpose — and when accidents happen because of your neglect, the least you should do is cover their costs!
Please take remedial action now for your existing stallholders that will reassure prospective stallholders that you can and will live up to your promise to provide all the support they need to not only start but to maintain and grow their business.
THE URC BOOKSHOP announced its final farewell sale this month with an online stock clearance at discounts of up to 70% — and promptly suspended operations due to “unprecedented demand”. The sale was announced on facebook at 14.49 on 10 November and suspended less than 24 hours later at 13.55 on 11 November:
Thanks to everyone that has ordered books in the sale. However, our sale has been so popular that, due to unprecedented demand, we’ve had to suspend sales from the website. We plan to restart our sale early in the week beginning 15th November 2010 so you’ll have to hold your horses until then.
URC Bookshop: Closing down sale suspended due to unprecedented demand
The good news for any prospective bargain hunters is that the sale did indeed resume as advertised, at midday last Monday, 15 November — but only briefly. At the time of preparing this report, online sales have once again been suspended but are due to resume at 9.00am this morning, Monday, 22 November. The best deals have no doubt gone by now but it may still be worth checking out what’s left: books.urc.org.uk
The shop will finally close at the end of this year but URC specific product will remain available:
The URC bookshop will be closing at the end of 2010 (see the URC news article) due to financial pressures. Online and phone orders will continue until all stock is sold (orders will be processed subject to availability of stock). Returns will be processed as normal. After the closure of the bookshop, the URC will continue to sell all URC merchandise, including the Year Book, Prayer Handbook and the URC diary.
RT @notbovvered: A strange and sad photo: Bijou hair salon puts up its sign over the old Living Oasis signage in South Woodford,... http ... 4 hours ago
RT @notbovvered: Storehouse, Watford's Christian Bookshop, is looking for a new manager: details on the Christian Gateway Watford... htt ... 2 days ago
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