Former SPCK shops must remain Christian bookshops

From last week's Church Times: Bookshops withdrawn from sale. An extract, talking about the reasons that the four shops that were to have been auctioned this week were withdrawn from the sale:

There are thought to be two reasons for the halt. One is that the transfer of ownership to SSG has not been completed. The other is that the Brewer brothers, who run SSG, have been reminded of a seven-year restrictive covenant that accompanied the transfer of all the freeholds from SPCK in October 2006. This states that the shops can be used only as Christian multi-denominational bookshops. The covenant would apply to any prospective purchaser.

As an aside, the Church Times feature from a week or two back about Thomas Bray, the founder of SPCK is online here: Leaven in the Anglican lump

People have written in the comments about a number of the SSG / former SPCK shops: It is rumoured that Lincoln might reopen and that Carlisle might close again.

It was great to see so many people at the gathering on Wednesday. From my point of view it was great to meet some of the faces behind the names, and I know others found it useful for a variety of reasons. Phil Groom has written about the gathering, as has Phelim McIntyre in the comments below.

I might go back to the CRE tomorrow, this time to do some drawing. It depends whether I get all of my work done this evening.

Former SPCK staff gathering

A gathering of former SPCK bookshop staff is being organised. It will be at 2 pm on Wednesday 14th May at The Bear public house, 71 High Street, Esher, London, Surrey, KT10 9RQ. This is a 5 to 10 minute walk from Sandown Park where the Christian Resources Exhibition will be taking place. Publishers reps are welcome to come and say hello. Some members of the press have been invited, but there is no compulsion to speak to them.

Phelim McIntyre, a regular contributor to the comments here, is organising it and I believe still has some free CRE tickets. You can e-mail him on phelimmcintyre (at) hotmail.com - I'm sure he will respond to questions left in the comments as well.

I'm planning to be there. As an aside - please note that the telephone number that I have posted on this site is no longer working. The answerphone still works, but I can't get the messages. It isn't anything to do with the fact I have lost the phone or anything embarrassing like that.