English booksellers under pressure

English Booksellers have appealed directly to politicians to reform business rates or risk 275 towns losing bookshops at a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons on Wednesday (12th July).

Booksellers Association chief executive Tim Godfray told an audience of MPs at the reception hosted by Labour’s Margaret Hodge that a quarter of high street bookshops are facing a hike in business rates of 10% or more. He urged action to be taken before as many as 275 towns are deprived of a valued bookshop.

“The Business Rates issue is something we cannot ignore,” he told guests in the Members Dining Room in the Houses of Parliament.

Read the full article on the Bookseller here