Several years ago I was very lucky to become involved in a local initiative in Clapham, London, to establish a community bookshop. The initiative was a response to the closing of the existing local bookshop along with the persistent threat of closure which haunted the local library. Our vision was one of community building, with shared ownership via community shares. We envisioned evening events, a catalyst for a local sharing economy, a safe space for socialising, studying, observing, contemplating. And we built significant momentum, with a committee formed of interested locals working together to identify opportunities to secure premises, grow local awareness, and establish the legal foundation for community ownership.

Unfortunately, the momentum slowed and was ultimately lost altogether when the most likely location for the shop, a new social development in the area, fell through. So, a couple of years on it is time to close down the website, but it will remain archived here at bookshop.danieleverard.com for those interested in reviewing and perhaps learning from the history of the project.