August 11, 2011

Opinion – Support your High Street – Local retailers and small shops

Posted by eddieolliffe under Guest Posts | Tags: , , |
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Listening to Liz Pilgrim, a riot-hit small retailer from Ealing on BBC R4 tonight was an inspiration, providing a strident rallying call for support to the High Street.

Events of this past week have demonstrated that the UK High Street is hurting badly – in more ways than one. Shops in riot affected areas will have an uphill struggle to get their businesses back on track. Retailers everywhere are finding it hard work to make headway against strong and adverse economic headwinds.

If these local businesses are forced to leave their High Streets, it will be very hard, if not impossible, to open them again. Does that matter? Yes, I think it does. Those communities losing local traders are negatively impacted in a considerable way. We could all do much more to help – by stopping to think whether we can buy locally, by switching our purchasing from the internet to local shops (where possible) and from chain stores and supermarkets to the local trader. Yes, there’s often a price differential and I know that we all have time constraints but there is a positive social impact.

Some of you might say that it’s already too late. It’s not. You can make a real difference locally.

So much of retail in the UK is comprised of fairly small units and these outlets provide considerable levels of local employment in so many of our towns and cities. It cannot be all about Tesco’s and Debenhams.

Use local markets wherever possible as these too continue to help commercial life to thrive in our neighbourhoods and communities. Yes, it’s hard to do this but it’s also worthwhile. At the moment, any help for smaller retailers, and sole traders in particular, is very welcome.

 If you agree with this please post it elsewhere and let’s help bring more footfall to our High Streets. Do we really want to live in a homogenous world? Do we want all of retail life to move online? We all have to buy ‘stuff’. The only question is; where will we actually do our purchasing?

So go on – Support your own High Street. Support your local retailer. Support your small shops. Support your local Market. You might even enjoy yourself!

 

January 6, 2011

Christianity on the High Street: is there a better way?

Posted by Phil Groom under Guest Posts, Musings... | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO we’ve had numerous conversations and discussions about the future shape of Christian bookselling and retailing. We’ve seen the sad demise of the former SPCK bookshops (a story that’s far from over), the break-up of Wesley Owen following the collapse of STL UK when Biblica overreached itself (for what that cost, see Clem Jackson’s recent report for Christian Marketplace: IBS STL (UK) Administration closes), and a number of independents struggling or closing down; but we’ve also seen the rise of Living Oasis with its mixed message about developing a Christian presence on the high street whilst simultaneously “de-Christianising” its storefronts, various independents springing to life or changing hands, and more and more shops discovering the world of social media (find Christian bookshops on facebook | twitter). One thing is clear: Christian bookselling/retailing in the UK is not yet dead.

But is it truly alive? Is there a better way? Should we be seeking a new model for a Christian presence in our towns and cities? Has the time come, if not to discard the bookshop/retailer/café concept entirely, to develop something else? But if so, what?

Ian Matthews takes up the conversation:

Bookshops, Cafés and the Witness on the High Street

I am writing as someone who has, over the years, managed retail shops, edited a retail trade publication, worked for publishers and been (vaguely) involved in the rescue of our local Christian bookshop by a newly formed trust. I have also earned money in the last few years advising people on how to adapt to a changing retail culture.

These are, without doubt, dark days for Christian booksellers in the United Kingdom. It is generally difficult for many independent retailers and small chains (and even larger ones), but Christian bookshops seem especially hard hit. There is yet another closure of an independent bookshop every couple of months, accompanied by the regular chorus of concern about the ‘loss of a witness on the high street’. There is no doubt that the High Street is changing. A recent BBC survey shows that whereas vacant shops are on the increase, the only sectors showing a reduction in the number of shops are travel agents and off-licences (although bookshops are rolled in with art suppliers and stationers which may be masking a decline). There is no written or unwritten rule that says that the high street needs to stay the same, and the excellent TV series Turn Back Time: The High Street has shown how even whilst mourning the loss of dedicated retailers, the public will still shop with their wallet or purse at the forefront of their buying decisions.

This leads to the question I have been really pondering:

Is a Bookshop the Best Witness on the High Street?

What I mean by this is: whether it is, in the end, worth all the expense, heartache, effort, cajoling and tears to keep a Christian bookshop open; or is there a more effective way of bringing the light of Christ to our towns and cities?

Shrewsbury Covered Market, photograph by Ian Matthews

Shrewsbury Covered Market

I have recently taken some office space in the town centre of the town in which I live as I have outgrown the office in the back garden, and needed somewhere else to work. As I looked around I did something I hadn’t done for a while, and took a walk through our local covered market. When I first moved here this was a thriving market selling meat, veg, household supplies etc, but went into a shocking decline about ten years ago. I had stopped going by and didn’t go near for a few years. However, I did look in when exploring space and was amazed at the change in the last few years. The main market floor was now populated by bakers, butchers, delicatessens, organic greengrocers, secondhand bookstores etc. The upper gallery of fixed units had a printer, an art collective, a secondhand vinyl shop, more books, hats etc.

What struck me is that here was a place where the community was coming together, but there was no observable Christian presence. But I also asked a second question: would a Christian bookshop be the right thing to put in here? (We already have a Christian bookshop in the town anyway). I wanted to start thinking creatively about how Christian witness might work here. Obviously the mixed mainstream/Christian product can work (as Unicorn Tree Books in Lincoln has shown), but I wanted to think about what else might be effective.

Bookshops, coffee shops, quiet spaces, gift & craft shops, a Christian equivalent to the ‘new age’ centres you find in many tourist towns?

Two baptist churches recently merged. Their town centre building was demolished and in its place a local property developer is building a new commercial/residential building with a ground floor space for use by the church. However, their worship centre is in the other building, located in a residential area. But, like the market, they get thousands of people passing by every day (including, again like the market, 1500 sixth-formers from the nearby college), and want to use it in a way that will draw people in, and provide a service and space for people.

These are still questions without answers, but I found the prospect exciting and would love to hear from others as to what possibilities might exist…

Ian Matthews has worked in Christian publishing and communications for 13 years, before which he worked in retail management for a number of years. He is currently Director of International Partnerships for EthnoGraphic Media, a non-profit documentary production organisation. Their current film is Little Town of Bethlehem (www.littletownofbethlehem.org) which follows the growing nonviolence movement in Israel and Palestine, and is currently being screened in churches and university campuses around the world. It is available on retail release through Kingsway in the UK.

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December 23, 2010

Good News for Christian Retailers and Consumers as STL UK and Suppliers collaborate to absorb January’s VAT increase

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Suppliers, Info, News, STL | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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STL UK: VAT increase – January 4th 2011

STL UK: VAT increase – January 4th 2011

STL UK HAVE ANNOUNCED that following consultations with their suppliers, “in the main” they will be absorbing January’s VAT increase by adjusting ex-VAT prices to keep VAT-inclusive prices for end consumers the same. Vatable items such as CDs, for instance, currently retailing at £14.99 will continue to retail at £14.99 by means of a behind-the-scenes adjustment resetting the ex-VAT price to £12.49:

  • Current: ex-VAT price £12.76 + 17.5% VAT = £14.99
  • After 4th Jan 2011: ex-VAT price £12.49 + 20% VAT = £14.99

To make the adjustment on their own systems, STL’s computers will be temporarily taken down on New Year’s Day and customers are advised against placing online orders “from 4pm on 31st December until 9am on 3rd of January.” Any queries should be addressed to STL’s Customer Services department.

Printed books, of course, remain zero-rated for VAT. Retailers will still need to make the appropriate adjustments in their own accounting and VAT returns to HM Revenues & Customs.

 

September 16, 2010

Open Door prepares to open bookshop doors in October

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Bookshops, Guest Posts, Independent Booksellers | Tags: , , , , , |
[4] Comments 

As mentioned yesterday, I invited Open Door Trading director Paul Mogford to tell us about their acquisition of and plans for the former Footprints bookshop in Middlesbrough.

Paul writes:

Open Door Bookshop: download the flyer (pdf, 115kb)

Open Door Bookshop: download the flyer (pdf, 115kb)

2010 looks like its going to be a busy year for Open Door Trading Ltd. Not only incorporating No Frontiers into our workload, we will be opening Open Door (Christian Bookshop) on October 9th. Based in the centre of Middlesbrough, we are buying the current Christian Bookshop (Footprints) run by John Gaines. There has been a Christian bookshop in Middlesbrough for many years – CLC then Footprints – now we pick up the baton to maintain a clear Christian witness on the high street. We will be building on the work done by faithful Christians over the years.

Open Door Trading currently supplies event and web retail services to Newfrontiers, No Frontiers and others, as well as other distribution services. We will be creating a friendly welcoming shop that is accessible to Christians as well as those who have not yet found faith. The store is on one of the main roads in town, near the bus station and a major shopping area. We’ll be stocking a good range of cards and gifts, as well as best selling and core books and music. Upstairs, we intend to open a quality second hand floor as an additional attraction to serious buyers.

The Christian bookshop trade has often faced significant issues; of late, major changes in suppliers, Amazon and other major online suppliers. Middlesbrough faces the additional issues of being regarded as one of the poorest areas in the country. It is reckoned that the town is well placed to be the worst affected by current government spending cuts (over 40% of employment is derived from council or government work).

So why is this a good time to buy a Christian bookshop? Well, it is clear that at times of national stress, many turn to faith and the Church for help — we want to reach out to non-Christians who are looking for someone beyond themselves. Secondly, there is a deep spiritual hunger in the UK: we want to supply resources that help churches and individuals reach out. Third, specialist knowledge and customer care opens up markets that don’t just want mass purchase: we have well trained specialist staff ready to serve! Fourth, there is a large demand in local churches to be well served – we will be going to our local churches, not just waiting for them to come to us.

Finally, it’s part of our overall plan to expand into all areas of Christian retailing – events, bookshop, web, who knows where else this journey will take us?!

Incidentally, our landlord is a Muslim – very gentle, very caring, very devout. But excited about having a Christian bookshop in one of his premises (as he has been with Footprints)! Strange hey? Who says God doesn’t move in mysterious ways!!!!!

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