New Beacon Books, the UK’s first specialist black bookshop, is considering a move to new premises after a crowdfunding campaign raised over £50,000 to save it from closure. The shop, founded in 1966, has been based on Stroud Green Road in north London for all but one year of its existence.
In December, the bookshop announced it might have to close its physical store in Finsbury Park due to competition from online retailers and the impact of the Covid pandemic. This prompted a crowdfunding campaign that smashed its £35,000 target within 48 hours, raising more than £50,000 by Friday.
Michael La Rose, director of New Beacon Books, said the shop may need to relocate to expand its publishing arm and avoid becoming an online-only retailer. “In order to meet its financial commitments, New Beacon Books must continue to do much more than just sell books,” he said, noting that the publishing arm has been scaled down but there is increasing demand for it to commission and publish work by young creatives.
Campaigner Francesca Gilbert described the bookshop as “an invaluable institution of black history” and “a crucial cultural space” that must be preserved. She said it is “a second home, a heartbeat and a legacy that we must protect now and in the years to come.”
