Tag Archives: Biblica

STL UK Crisis: Reports roundup and further reflections (updated)

Posted on November 22, 2009 by | 21 Comments

Figured a roundup of reports on / responses to the STL UK crisis might be useful. Reports marked * are largely nothing more than re-runs of the official press release with minimal or no additional comment. No doubt there are a few I’ve missed and more will emerge as the tragedy unfolds — but as I’ve said, I truly don’t think it needs to be a tragedy: despite the sceptics’ voices, I still believe that there are more than enough of us to save the day if only we will stand together.

I may be a tad crazy but I’m not crazy enough to think the entire edifice can be saved intact: it will have to be split up into smaller parts, with local Christian groups pooling resources to support specific branches of Wesley Owen, rebranded and refocused to serve their local communities. Kudos to the Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent: he’s written to clergy in his area to see whether they can do something to keep the Harrow branch open. Do we have similar initiatives elsewhere in the country?

It’s also clear that some very hard questions need to be asked about the SAP implementation: why was it allowed to go so badly wrong? Why was it done as an all-or-nothing no-way-back project? We seem to be looking at some very serious high-level incompetence here and one of the first things whoever takes over the business will need to do is take a long, hard at this — then most likely scrap the system and start again.

An intriguing paragraph in the Civil Society report seems to offer a possible ray of hope for any parts of the business for which no buyer is found:

The corporate finance division of Baker Tilly is marketing the operations of the charity to a number of interested parties and hopes to complete negotiations for the sales or potential closures within the next few weeks. Young said that if buyers are not found for all parts of the business, Biblica may step in and buy the rest, but “ultimately IBS-STL UK will be wound up”.

Looking beyond Wesley Owen for a moment, all the shops that signed up to STL’s ‘Crown Books’ scheme now need to urgently rethink their ops.

Finally for now, for those who may have missed yesterday’s brief note: news has emerged of at least one publisher, Kingsway, pulling their stock out of STL’s Carlisle warehouse, returning it to their HQ in Eastbourne. I have requested further information from Kingsway: what happens, for instance, to retailers’ outstanding orders? No doubt an official announcement will be forthcoming.

Update, 24/11/2009: John Paculabo from Kingsway states:

As we approach certain timelines in our agreement, there are decisions that Kingsway will take irrespective of whether STL find a buyer or not, and currently these relate to foreign distribution.

STL remain our trade distributor, however in the today’s climate this poses a number of questions going forward, needless to say we are aware of thecomutations and possible implications.

I can assure you that Kingsway has not removed all of its stock from STL.

Update, 16/12/2009: Kingsway Books & Music back in stock at STL: STL Blog | Email Archive

Reports and Responses
Google News Search: Wesley Owen | IBS-STL UK | Biblica
Carlisle News & Star: STL News Stories

Reports marked * are largely nothing more than re-runs of the official press release. For a roundup of more recent reports, see Wesley Owen: 26 Branches Enter Administration, Others Sold (Updated) (19/12/2009)

Most recent first, list updated 12/12/2009:

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And so it ends: STL UK puts up ‘For Sale’ sign

Posted on November 16, 2009 by | 51 Comments
IBS-STL UK Announces Plans to Sell Operations

IBS-STL UK Announces Plans to Sell Operations

In a press release (full text below or pdf, 86kb) issued at lunchtime today, Biblica announced that they were finally pulling out of their UK operations and putting the division up for sale. In the press release, Keith Danby, Global CEO, is quoted saying,

Given the severe financial and operational strains we have experienced, the Board of Trustees and management team believe a sale or exit from all or parts of certain operations is a prudent and necessary step. Whilst a difficult decision, we are focused on finding a solution to continue the important work of IBS-STL UK, to secure the jobs of the 490 people employed in our ministry, and to fulfill our financial obligations to our suppliers and creditors. We are working diligently and praying vigilantly for a successful outcome.

Blame for the company’s difficulties is laid firmly at the door of last year’s unsuccessful IT systems upgrade which, combined with the current economic climate, resulted in unsustainable cash flow and stock movement difficulties:

The move has come after a succession of financial problems, in particular the failed implementation of a new SAP computer system in October 2008, the effects of which were exacerbated by the economic downturn. These have caused significant cash flow pressures, excess stock, and supply chain and service difficulties in its distribution and retail units. They have culminated in the decision to exit the business.

This decision comes in the wake of repeated reassurances from Danby that there was “no immediate crisis within the company” (August 2009) and that there was “a sustainable business ministry model going forward” (September 2009).

One possible way forward, proposed here on Saturday, would be a trade buy-out: if enough of us are willing to stand together then between us we could take the business on as a shared ownership company. But who will stand? Who will rise to the challenge?


Full Press Release
(or download pdf, 86kb – includes Notes to Editors and contact info for media and other enquiries)

LEADING CHRISTIAN CHARITY IBS-STL UK ANNOUNCES PLANS TO SELL OPERATIONS DUE TO FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

Leading Christian book and Bible charity IBS-STL UK today announced that it has appointed Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP to pursue the sale of its operations.

The move has come after a succession of financial problems, in particular the failed implementation of a new SAP computer system in October 2008, the effects of which were exacerbated by the economic downturn. These have caused significant cash flow pressures, excess stock, and supply chain and service difficulties in its distribution and retail units. They have culminated in the decision to exit the business.

IBS-STL UK convened an emergency task force led by Global President of Biblica and former CEO of STL, Keith Danby, which has been in constant dialogue with its suppliers and bankers. It had also engaged restructuring and business process consultants in an attempt to resolve the systems and financial challenges.

Danby said: “Given the severe financial and operational strains we have experienced, the Board of Trustees and management team believe a sale or exit from all or parts of certain operations is a prudent and necessary step. Whilst a difficult decision, we are focused on finding a solution to continue the important work of IBS-STL UK, to secure the jobs of the 490 people employed in our ministry, and to fulfill our financial obligations to our suppliers and creditors. We are working diligently and praying vigilantly for a successful outcome.”

The corporate finance division of Baker Tilly is actively marketing the operations of the charity to a number of interested parties and is hopeful it will complete negotiations for the sales or potential closures within the next few weeks. IBS-STL UK was founded in 1962 and has grown to become a major UK charity.

IBS-STL UK has three trading divisions; Authentic Media, a book and music publisher; STL Distribution, a distributor of Christian resources and Wesley Owen Books and Music, a retailer with 40 shops in the UK. IBS-STL UK is part of Biblica, a global Bible translation, publishing, distribution and outreach ministry serving more than 100 countries with books, Bibles and other Christian resources. Biblica said the planned sale of the UK operations will not impact its other global operations and donor funds supporting Biblica’s worldwide outreach ministries will not be affected.

Michael Fitch, Chairman of the IBS-STL UK Board of Trustees, concluded: “We continue to believe strongly in the power of God’s Word and Christian resources to change peoples’ lives. We are praying that we can pass the torch on to other likeminded organisations so that our UK staff, suppliers and ministry partners can carry our work forward.”

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A Modest Proposal to Save STL UK

Posted on November 14, 2009 by | 164 Comments

We all know that STL UK (or Biblica or whatever they’re calling themselves these days) are in deep doodah. That’s not rumour, it’s fact as stated by the man himself, Keith Danby, in his miscellaneous missives to the trade with repeated references to financial difficulties and ongoing consultations with bankers and others.

There are some signs of hope, of an improved cash flow: one supplier I spoke to this week told me that their account, six months overdue, had at last been paid. Other sources, however, tell me about supplier accounts being put on hold due to non-payment; and I know, from my own experience of having to source goods elsewhere, that warehouse stocks are not what they ought to be, especially at this time of year.

What we don’t know, of course, because they’re not telling us, is how deep STL UK’s financial crisis runs: hundreds of thousands, or millions? If the former — perhaps even if the latter — then I suggest that, if we’re prepared to act together, between us we have the power to rescue them.

UKCBD alone lists more than 600 Christian retailers, most of them actively trading, most of them STL UK trade account holders. Then there are the many church and other account holders as well as all the suppliers: that’s thousands of us who stand — to put it mildly — to be massively inconvenienced if STL UK goes to the wall.

My proposal, modest though it is, is simply this: we buy them out. Between us, we pay off STL UK’s debts — or enough of those debts to make their bankers do a double-take — and take them over as a shared-ownership company. Careful plans, terms and conditions would need to be drawn up, of course; but amongst us, surely, we have the expertise for that.

If as few as 1,000 of us contributed as little as £100 each, that would be £100,000. I think that, however, is a very conservative estimate of the amount we could raise: there are far more than 1,000 of us whose own businesses and livelihoods stand to suffer immensely if STL UK cease trading; and whilst some of us would struggle to find £100, many of us could contribute significantly more than that to a trade buy-out.

We’ve prayed together. The time has come, I think, for us to act together: to put our money where our mouths are and recognise that we ourselves may be God’s answer to those prayers.

Too little too late, I hear you say. Maybe so: the winds of change are blowing in our industry as more and more business is being conducted online; but let’s not allow the Christian book and retail trade in the UK to go down in history as blown away by an errant trade wind when we could have saved it had we only been blown along by the Spirit of God…

Appendix: Biblica Financial Reports

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IBS-STL UK – Danby Speaks: there is no immediate crisis within the Charity

Posted on August 14, 2009 by | 2 Comments

IBS-STL UK Trade Announcement 14/08/2009Keith Danby, Global CEO of IBS-STL/Biblica has spoken out in a Trade Announcement issued this afternoon to quell rumours that IBS-STL UK may be “going into ‘liquidation’ or ‘administration’”, reassuring the trade that “there is no immediate crisis within the Charity” and reaffirming his own personal “commitment to support the UK Christian trade both in the retail and supply sectors.”

There have been a number of rumours circulating suggesting that IBS-STL U.K. is going into ‘liquidation’ or ‘administration’. I can confirm that the charity is neither in liquidation, nor in any form of administration.

A number of factors including the SAP implementation have caused STL Distribution serious Supply Chain difficulties, which have resulted in severe cash flow problems.

I met with a number of our key suppliers earlier this week in London to appraise them of the situation…

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Damned by Danby: Harsh or Prophetic?

Posted on August 11, 2009 by | 57 Comments
Keith Danby - a global chief, part 2

Keith Danby - a global chief, part 2

Responses to Damned by Danby: 2009 and the Death of Christian Retail UK — on the original post, privately and in the parallel discussion on facebook (where there are far more comments than here) — have been challenging and thought provoking: my thanks to all concerned and in particular to Michael Gibson who started the ball rolling on facebook with this observation:

1. On first reading I’m still not sure whether this is harsh or prophetic. I do think you’ve looked at Keith’s statements in a lot more depth than me!
2. IF… you are right then please don’t taint the entire STL organisation the same way. There are those within Carlisle particularly with a real heart for the UK retailers. We’ve discussed people like Michael Swan before and he isn’t the only one.

Today, I’d like to make it clear that I have no personal vendetta against Keith: Keith, I appreciate the complex nature of your role as Global Chief of such a massive organisation as IBS-STL/Biblica — I do not envy you the job!

Nor do I have an axe to grind with IBS-STL/Biblica or any of its staff. Everyone I’ve encountered in all the various divisions from Authentic Media and Paternoster through STL Distribution to Wesley Owen has always been unfailingly polite and helpful (I shall refrain, however, from commenting on the competence of the consultants who have been brought in during the last year or so to help with IT projects and branding, although I do wonder about the costs and what those who brought them in were thinking of).

Nonetheless I believe that questions need to be asked. Perhaps I am going about it in the wrong way: perhaps a public forum such as this is not the best place for these concerns to be aired; perhaps I should have approached someone at IBS-STL/Biblica privately. That I took this path, however, is one of the reasons why I’m a bookseller with a blog rather than a politician with a duck house and a parliamentary expenses account.

But let’s duck the duck houses and cut to the chase: when the Global Chief of an organisation the size of and with the influence of IBS-STL/Biblica (offices in 45 countries and 1650 staff, billing itself as “Europe’s leading supplier of English language Christian books, gifts, music, software and video products”) states publicly that he believes that the Christian retail trade in the UK will “never be viable”; when that statement comes on the back of a campaign promoting that organisation’s retail division, Wesley Owen, as “100% Charity” with its implicit suggestion that the rest of us are operating with some other less worthy motives; when that division is actively recruiting volunteers to run its stores; when we’ve already seen the disastrous results of SPCK deciding that its stores were no longer viable; when massive questions are being asked about Oxfam’s involvement in and impact upon the wider book trade; then alarm bells start to ring and it becomes difficult not to see a pattern emerging.

So on reflection, I think my questions for you, Keith, are best raised in public rather than behind closed doors:

  • What are your intentions towards Wesley Owen, your own retail division here in the UK, and its staff, if you believe it will never be viable? Do you intend to capitalise on the company’s charitable status in a bid to operate on a par with Oxfam, running the enterprise entirely or principally with volunteers?
  • If that is the future direction of Wesley Owen, what do you imagine the impact of this will be upon the wider Christian book trade?
  • You’ve already expressed your view that the current economic downturn “may result in some Christian retail stores closing”. Does your unapologetic stance as a commercially savvy businessman (and I see no reason why any apology for that should be necessary, by the way) with a keen desire to run your “‘not for profit’ Christian charity in a businesslike way” leave room for concern at that outcome, for compassion for those whose livelihoods may well be wrecked as a result?
  • If so, what action will IBS-STL/Biblica be taking to continue working in partnership with the rest of us — who have worked in partnership with you for so many years — to keep things, as you put it, equitable? Or do you simply see those closures as collateral damage, as “natural wastage”, to use the trendy, dehumanising parlance of today’s human resources managers?

Of course, I could be wrong. I could be misreading the signs. I could be misunderstanding you — and I very much hope that I am. I hope that I am reading you harshly rather than prophetically: if so, you have my sincerest apologies; but I hope that this clarifies my concerns and that you can see why I do not regard silence as an option.

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Damned by Danby: 2009 and the Death of Christian Retail UK

Posted on August 10, 2009 by | 12 Comments
Keith Danby - a global chief, part 2

Keith Danby - a global chief, part 2

Over the last few months Christian Marketplace has run a series of reports and interviews featuring Keith Danby, previously CEO of STL and now Global Chief Executive of IBS-STL/Biblica, a series that I’ve been reading with a growing sense of unease:

This month’s interview clinched my concerns:

We’ve got to understand that, by and large, Christian retailing is never going to be viable in the UK. Our market is not big enough.

Taken together with the following excerpts this seems to present a rather worrying trend:

1. Keith Danby takes control at IBS-STL UK, February 2009:

Asked how optimistic he felt that things might improve for Christian retailing in the short-to-medium term Danby said,

“I do not want to be guilty of making pronouncements concerning the UK trade but I do believe what we are experiencing in economic terms is very serious and deeper than many of us have experienced in our life time. I think it will be sometime before we climb out of it, if it ever returns to what we would consider to be the norm. Consequentially it may result in some Christian retail stores closing. It does however present an opportunity to talk to landlords to see if rents can be reduced.”

2. New structure at IBS-STL UK, taken from Message from Keith Danby, STL Blog, 8 April 2009:

I can assure you that this management team is fully committed to serving the interests of IBS-STL UK, our suppliers, stakeholders and the Christian Retail trade, and I trust together we can work hard to build our business together.

Perhaps I am reading more into Danby’s words than he intended, but I find it difficult to believe that the sequence within this statement — 1. IBS-STL UK, 2. suppliers, 3. stakeholders and 4. the Christian Retail trade — is accidental: Global Chiefs do not tend to construct their sentences haphazardly. Under Danby’s leadership, then, IBS-STL/Biblica exists to serve its own interests first and those of the Christian Retail trade last.

This appears to be confirmed in the opening paragraphs of his latest interview, Keith Danby: a global chief – part 2, August 2009:

CJ: There’s a perception around in the UK industry that Keith Danby is a hard-driving businessman who drives people hard. Is there another side to Keith Danby then?

KD: Yes there is. I make no apology for the fact that, if you cut me in half, part of me is very commercial – but the other half is very missional. I don’t see any contradiction in that. I want to run this ‘not for profit’ Christian charity in a businesslike way. I want it to be equitable.

CJ: You have to make money right?

KD: Yes, I want to be fair, but at the same time right now we have offices in 45 countries, we have 1650 staff, and it is my responsibility to ensure that this ministry is viable.

The next question invites Danby to address the implications of this but he effectively sweeps it aside with a one-word answer — “Absolutely” — and talks about his workaholic tendencies instead.

To this observer at least, however, the transition within barely six months from “I do not want to be guilty of making pronouncements concerning the UK trade” to “We’ve got to understand that, by and large, Christian retailing is never going to be viable in the UK” seems to require something more than a one word answer.

  • What level of commitment, if any, do we now have from IBS-STL/Biblica to support and work with the UK Christian retail trade beyond their own interests?

Danby is right in what he affirms: the UK Christian book/retail trade needs collaboration, change and — perhaps most of all — the church; and it’s encouraging to see someone of Danby’s status in the trade highlighting these points — points that all of us involved in Christian retail have long been only too well aware of. Last year I expressed it like this:

Is that why we’re there, to serve the local churches? Or are we there to serve the local community as resource centres for their spiritual lives? Or are we simply there on a par with every other business, competing to make a profit? Can we do all three — serve the local churches, serve the local community and make a profit?

For Christian bookshops profit isn’t — or shouldn’t be — our driving force: we are called be a prophetic presence on the high street, not simply another profiteering one. And for that we need churches behind us, supporting us as part of their mission strategy, helping us to reach out to our communities, to be places where people asking questions about spirituality and faith can make their first tentative steps.

From: Christian Bookshops — who needs them?

Or in Danby’s more recent words:

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind as to the missional value of Christian bookshops in the UK. I believe that our Christian bookshops provide a Christian presence in the community. There are people who will come into a Christian bookshop but would never go into a church.

So our Christian retail presence is carrying out an important missional activity. And the church doesn’t embrace that; church leadership doesn’t embrace it. But the community and the church needs to understand the importance of a Christian retail store, being part of its Christian work, witness and worship in this country. Until the church catches that vision our shops are always going to struggle.

I believe that the church needs to financially support this witness and presence in the community. So although I have no doubt of the missional value, I do really question the viability.

Is Danby also right in his denial of the trade’s ongoing viability? I think not. Yes, shops are struggling. Yes, shops have closed. Yes, people like the Brewer brothers have caused havoc and betrayed the trade.

When, however, IBS-STL/Biblica’s Global Chief Executive not only questions the trade’s viability but publicly states that “by and large, Christian retailing is never going to be viable in the UK” then I personally begin to fear a much deeper betrayal in the making.

I hope that I am wrong, but these words from an old Larry Norman song echo in my mind:

I knew a girl,
sweet as could be,
but she fell for a man
like a chain sawed tree.
She listened to his lies,
was fooled by his charms,
now she’s sitting
with a baby in her arms.

If you, my fellow booksellers and retailers, now feel rather like that girl in your relationship with STL, you are not alone…

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IBS-STL: sort-of rebranded at last

Posted on August 8, 2009 by | Leave a comment

It’s been a slow train coming since we first heard it rumbling along the tracks back in March, but it looks as though the IBS-STL rebranding loco is at last rolling in towards the station with official announcements released to the press last month. A brief report appeared in the Church Times, 24 July, 2009, and a longer report in this month’s Christian Marketplace, where Keith Danby explains:

“After nine months we ended up with over thirty possible names and we decided to go with Biblica. That will be the global name – Biblica USA, Biblica UK, Biblica Africa etc.”

Danby also said that it had not been finally decided what to do with the subsidiary brands adding, “For the time being we’ll still carry on as STL Distribution, Authentic Media and Wesley Owen in the UK and OM Books in India.”

The story behind the new name reads, unfortunately, rather like a rehash of the software shenanigans we experienced from STL last year, with a team of consultants brought in to help the organisation get to grips with its identity crisis:

Biblica’s Global Chief Executive, Keith Danby, told Christian Marketplace, “When we started looking at the rebranding, in 2008, we brought together an internal cross-company, cross-cultural, crossfunction and cross-gender group to work with a professional firm of branding consultants. The brief was very simple: the name could not be International Bible Society nor could it be Send the Light and it must be something that refers to the Bible or to Scripture.

“Three months later they came back recommending the name should be: 1) A one-word name (if you have something that is multi-worded it gets squeezed down to an acronym), 2) A created word, a made-up name; i.e. Google or Yahoo or Ikea are now global brands, 3) The name should have B-I-B-L as the first four letters. 4) A word which works crossculturally – easily pronounceable around the world.

One hopes that the end result of using a borrowed name was negotiated under license by the branding consultants and is not due to someone forgetting to do their homework…

Published since 1920 by the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Biblica is a research journal and appears four times a year. It is dedicated to biblical studies on the Old and New Testament, and intertestamentary literature, and covers fields of reseach [sic], such as exegesis, philology, and history.

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For I am ashamed of the Gospel: Christianity’s Crass Commercialisation

Posted on July 9, 2009 by | 24 Comments
New from Testamints

New from Testamints

When products like this appear I am embarrassed to be Christian retailer. I could, I suppose, walk by on the other side or look the other way and claim that as a specialist in academic theology this has nothing to do with me — but in truth it is that very theology that cries out against the crassness.

Let me put this very simply: it takes more than sticking a Bible verse on something to make it a Christian product; and tacking Bible verses onto packets of chewing gum does not make them ‘fit for purpose’ — except, perhaps, to be spat out in disgust, as Christ is depicted by St John of the Apocalypse, spitting out the luke-warm water of shallow commitment. But please don’t spit it out onto the pavement: the last thing I want is this stuff stuck to my sole to then be trampled into someone else’s carpet (that’s what’s known as a spit infinitive, by the way).

And stuff like this does stick: it sticks to our souls, tarnishes our spirits, contaminates and undermines this entire once-glorious enterprise for which Christ died. The man of sorrows weeps once more as the Good News, the message of a love stronger than death, of lives transformed, is reduced to Bible verses on packets of bubble gum.

What makes it worse is the source: STL. Send the Light. True, it’s STL USA, but is not STL now one single, global corporation combined with IBS, busily rebranding itself as Biblica?

What next, I wonder? Christian-branded toilet paper with a Bible verse on every sheet and the strapline, “Now you don’t need to wash your hands afterwards.”

Something deep in the heart of this particular Christian just died.

STL Distribution - Keeping you informed of the latest Christian titles & products!

New from Testamints

Testamints Sugar-free Gum is now available in a completely redesigned package in two best-selling flavors: peppermint and spearmint.

Testamints has been providing encouragement to Christians from all walks of life since 1998, and the sugar-free gum packs have been proven best-sellers at the checkout counter since their initial introduction.

Each package contains 12 pieces of delicious US-Made sugar-free chewing gum, and a carefully chosen Scripture verse is also printed on the back of every package. With a commitment to helping Christian’s [sic] share their faith with a product that people use every day, Testamints Sugar Free Gum is an easy way to introduce the gospel to a friend, relative or colleague.

What makes Testamints gum so unique? It’s the name that everyone instantly appreciates. And Testamints supports Christian ministries worldwide. As soon as someone mentions the name “Testamints” the connection is made with a quality product that bears a scripture verse to help “Pass The Word.”

Ensure you are always well stocked with Testamints Gum at your checkout counter. It’s the most recognized best-seller in the USA and Canada.

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More Changes afoot at STL/Wesley Owen

Posted on April 7, 2009 by | 26 Comments

Last month we noted STL UK’s forthcoming name change to ‘Biblica’, mentioned in the small print on the Wesley Owen volunteer leaflet, Wesley Owen Want You – and a New Name for STL UK? There’s still been no official announcement about that that I’m aware of, via the STL Blog or elsewhere.

Now, courtesy of Christian Retailing USA, report dated April 2nd 2009 and spotted by the eagle-eyed Chris Land of Redruth Christian Book Centre, we learn more of what’s afoot for us here in the UK:

Keith Danby, the global CEO of IBS-STL, has announced a series of leadership changes for the international publishing and distribution group’s U.K. operations…

Detailing the changes in a letter to industry leaders, Danby said the economic challenges that had hit IBS-STL UK and other organizations had been compounded by difficulties with a new computer system, whose installation in October “did not go as smoothly as we would have liked and, indeed, caused problems for our suppliers and customers.” …

Under the new management structure, David Young will serve as general manager and director of human resources, coordinating day-to-day operations in the U.K. as Danby continues to travel in his ongoing role with IBS-STL Global.

As part of the changes Malcolm Stockdale is stepping down as managing director of ISB-STL UK’s Wesley Owen stores to head up a new IBS-STL UK joint venture with a Christian Web company to serve churches and parachurch organizations.

Hello Keith :: friendly wave :: big smile — I know lots of people think the USA is the Centre of the Universe these days, but this is the UK division you’re rearranging: it would be good if you could keep your UK partners in the loop too, please.

I suspect I’m not alone in feeling more than a tad … how shall we say this politely? … irritated … by the continuing chaos that has disrupted the UK’s Christian book trade since the less than smooth implementation of that “new computer system”. Finding out about these plans like this feels rather like rubbing salt in the wounds…

David, Malcolm: I take this opportunity to wish both of you well in your new roles.

Malcolm: would love it if you’d be kind enough to tell us more about this “joint venture with a Christian Web company to serve churches and parachurch organizations” and what this might imply for STL’s relationship with us, your existing Christian retail partners, please.

Thank you.

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