Coulsdon bookshop closing down two years after launch
THE south of the borough's only bookshop is closing down.
Farthing Books, in Coulsdon, will close next Saturday after owner Annette O'Flynn said she could not make enough money to stay open.
The independent bargain bookshop opened at its premises in Chipstead Valley Road in December 2010.
The nearest other bookshops are in Banstead and central Croydon.
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Ms O'Flynn said she had struggled against unfriendly business rates and squeezed customer parking.
She said: "It is not so much the books but the fact that no one can park here.
"However many books we sell is going to be wiped by rent and the rates."
Vicky Newham, founder of the Coulsdon Writers' Group, said the closure was a "real shame".
She added: "Many times I've been in there, looking for a book, and have bumped into other writers from the group also browsing the shelves."
She added: "I can only assume that competition from large online retailers, and from digital books, have made it hard for this lovely, friendly independent bookshop to survive.
"It is a real shame as the shop has made a very valuable contribution to Coulsdon's High Street and community and will be missed by many people."
The closure comes at a difficult time for the town centre, which like many has too many empty shops and too few spenders.
Amanda Davis, chairman of the Coulsdon Business Partnership, said: "It is really sad she is going – it is almost like another one bites the dust.
"I am sad for her to go. It also means another empty shop – I hope it fills up soon."
Ms O'Flynn added she will be relocating her shop to a Surrey village, where she will sell mainly children's books. She will continue to trade online. "Hopefully parents are trying to encourage their children to read," she said.
She added: "Ever since I have had the [closure] notice up I have had an endless stream of people coming in very upset and saying how much they will miss being here.
"I think they are going to miss it but sadly I just cannot afford to stay."
Comments
by bookshop1
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 1:18AM
“I don't think it's a sad story. I've enjoyed being in Coulsdon, and I've met some interesting, articulate people who actually get out and do things rather than 'commenting' on everything from behind their computers, and who understood what the shop was about.
If I've done something that I wanted to do, and am now moving on to somewhere I want to be, armed with good wishes, letters and cards from people who actually came to the shop and loved it, then I don't call that naive - I call that giving it a go- and I still stand by my view that Croydon council are ignoring Coulsdon and doing nothing to help the residents or small businesses make their town a place where people want to come and shop.”
by nicecityboy
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 10:09AM
“It's a sad story and a shame, but people need to think twice before starting a business.
E-books and online retailers have been dominating this market for a while now, it seems a bit naive to open a book shop with this knowledge.”