GOOD NEWS: New Beacon Books gets a lifeline after £76k raised by crowdfunder

 From the Bookseller website

The team at New Beacon Books, the UK's first Black specialist bookshop, has praised the “amazing support from the community” following a highly successful crowdfunding campaign which has not only saved the store but netted £76,000 in only a few days. 

Based in London's Finsbury Park, the store announced over the Christmas break it would be shutting its doors and moving entirely online, as financial constraints from Covid-19 and online retail threatened its future.

Academic and actor Francesca Gilbert immediately launched an online fundraising campaign on 30th December with donations flooding in within hours.

The crowdfunding campaign had aimed to raise £35,000 by 24th February 2022 but, by the morning of 31st December, it had already surpassed that total and introduced a new "stretch" target of £50,000 which was also quickly met. It now has donations from 2,427 supporters.

Directors Michael La Rose, Janice Durham and professor Gus John have now outlined their plans for the future on New Beacon Books' website which could include a move to new premises and boosted community engagement. They said: “Due to the amazing support from the community in response to our fundraising campaign yesterday and today, the bookshop has been given a lifeline to assist in moving forward.” 

They explained that the money will be used to pay rent, rates, utilities and other overheads and hire a part-time member of staff to support existing management and volunteers, process online orders and carry out admin work. 

Additionally the crowdfunded cash will enable them to expand New Beacon Books’ community outreach work and educational initiatives within the community as well as restoring New Beacon Books’ publishing platform, which had been reduced in recent years. 

The directors also suggested there could be a move of premises longer term: “For the foreseeable future, New Beacon Books will continue to be based at its current premises. We will be continuing to look at ways for a long-term sustainable future.” 

They paid tribute to the people who helped them in the campaign: “We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to the online crowdfunding campaign and the many in-person purchases by the community. 

“We want to emphasise that all the funds received will be accounted for in a transparent and coherent manner. We will keep everyone informed on a regular basis as to our progress. We would like to express again our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for this support.” 

The independent bookshop was founded in 1966 by activist John La Rose and Sarah White. 

Donate to help save vital independent Black publisher & bookshop, New Beacon Books

When I was a young teacher in the 1970s New Beacon Books was a vital resource for Black books that actually reflected the ethnic profile of my classes as well as books that educated me about Black culture and history, as well as the anti-racist struggle.

This is their appeal CrowdFunder LINK

 

Established in 1966, New Beacon Books is the only remaining independent Black publishing and bookselling entity in the UK. Throughout its 55 years, it has been pivotal to the growth of the Black Education Movement, the Black Supplementary School Movement and current calls for the decolonisation of the curriculum. Unlike Amazon, Alibris and other online suppliers, New Beacon has been at the heart of communities, building social movements and giving expression to young voices. It remains a huge part of the history of the adaptation of British society to its historical and post-war Black presence. Save and develop it for coming generations.

New Beacon Books is facing closure because:

 • As a result of the pandemic and the various lockdowns, New Beacon Books has seen a marked decrease in footfall and consequent income and overheads have increased. The growth in online shopping has had a marked impact upon income to independent bookshops generally speaking. In 1982, New Beacon Books and its partner organisations founded the annual International Bookfair of Radical Black and Third World Books, at a time when education providers and the general public were struggling to find books and other education resources by Black authors of fiction and non-fiction. 

• In 1991, New Beacon Books and the Bookfair gave rise to the George Padmore Institute (GPI), an archive and library dedicated to preserving and curating the archives of political and cultural activists who were pioneers in our struggles before and since the 1945 5th Pan-African Congress held in Manchester, of which the Trinidad-born political theorist George Padmore was a key organiser. The GPI was gifted 76 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, N4, which had been the home of New Beacon Books since 1975. • In order to meet its financial commitments, New Beacon Books must continue to do much more than just sell books. New Beacon Books has a proud history of running public education programmes, including book launches, readings, public lectures, spoken word events, etc.

 • The publishing arm of New Beacon Books has been scaled down considerably, but there are increasing calls for New Beacon Publications to commission and publish work by young creatives and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and for introducing new and old work to new audiences. For New Beacon Books to do this, it must be able to make full use of its existing space, and if necessary, relocate to premises that will allow for the expansion of its publishing and public affairs programmes as well as for bookselling. New Beacon Books is hugely encouraged by the community’s response to its needs and willingness to donate funds to enable New Beacon Books to survive and grow. The Crowdfunding appeal initiated by Francesca Gilbert and other young supporters who grew up with New Beacon Books is just amazing and New Beacon Books is grateful to them for that. New Beacon Books is committed to doing the following: 

a) Establishing a New Beacon Development Fund (NBDF) to receive monies raised with a governing body comprised mainly of those young supporters.
b) Setting up an event planning and public programmes committee.
c) Utilising some of the funds donated to meet New Beacon Books’ immediate needs.
 d) New Beacon Books does not exclude the possibility of acquiring alternative premises, large enough to accommodate publishing, bookselling, writers in residence, public programmes and community events consonant with the aims and mission of New Beacon Books, and adapted appropriately to engage with current challenges facing Black Britain and the society generally. e) Keeping all our supporters and customers updated on the progress of our plans, inviting their active participation in our programmes, and encouraging feedback and advice.

New Beacon Books would like to thank all those who have reached out, be it to lend their support, or to propose ways and means of raising funds. Their intervention has been most timely. 

We look forward to the future and thank you for your support,

Michael La Rose - Director, New Beacon Books
Janice Durham - Director, of New Beacon Books
Professor Gus John - Non-Executive Director, New Beacon Book