14 January 2011
08:2588875Noticed that Administrators called in. They have brought in stock clearance firm GA Europe to run until what is decided.
Total of 51 shops with 300 employees in the South.
I recall a couple of years ago British Bookshops were not going to continue in Dover (I think lease renewal) and staff asked customers to contact their Head Office to re-consider (I like many done so).
The staff are friendly and order books without any hassle. Competitive prices and as far as OS Maps the most competitive.
Wish all the staff good luck at this difficult time.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
14 January 2011
09:2088878Well it would be very sad indeed to see the demise of this shop. Its just a horrible prospect as it occupies a very central position and fills it very pleasantly indeed.
But I plead guilty in helping to bring about its demise because I have hardly ever been in there. Once or twice... and I bought 2 books. But much the same as is often said when we see pubs close. Ask yourself how much you yourself have spent in the establishment. Nothing...next to nothing..thats why they close.
Im hoping the administrators can put something together there.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
14 January 2011
10:0288879I have family members that work in that shop,and it is a very good bookshop as you said.I think that the Dover shop is safe.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
14 January 2011
10:0688880I use this shop often .The cards are very good .The problem is people tend to be lazy and it is so easy not me to go to Tesco and buy everything under the one roof M/s selling papers and magazines plus cards does not help .
Retailers should go back to selling what you would expect ie in a food shop.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2011
10:4988882they have a current window display of local history books.
dover past and present by forumite paul and co author jeff is going for a tenner.
i hope they manage to survive.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,896
14 January 2011
11:0988888I like the shop as well, prefering it to Smiths, I could never understand why they opened so near Smiths, a little further up the town would have been much better.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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14 January 2011
11:2688891There is something in the idea of shops just doing what they do best - I like to buy my art equipment (fancy term for canvas, paints and brushes.....) at Crosses because they specialise, but if I can get it cheaper in Sussex books I go there. Smiths is irritating because it "dabbles" in a bit of everything and doesn't do any of it either well or cheaper. Always a shame to see a decent shop go, though. I would have thought Smiths was less appealing........
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
14 January 2011
12:5088896It would be a huge loss if we lost what is really a great shop. I know I spend far more than I should in there (as the pile of books waiting to be read in my house proves) but they do stock a very interesting range and, as has been said, they are always helpful when it comes to ordering books. It is nice to be able to find good books rather than just those on Richard and Judy's reading list (does anyone actually believe Richard Madely of being able to read a whole book?).
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2011
14:0888916i tend to do more browsing in there than buying, getting most of my books from the library now.
i have got rid of so many books over the years due to them cluttering everything up, i just keep reference works nowadays.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
14 January 2011
15:2088921I use the shop whenever I can as I find them much more reasonable than WHS and the staff are very friendly and helpful, it would be a shame to lose them.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
14 January 2011
18:0288944Here is a picture of two of our leading ladies in the bookshop a year or so ago. Its left to right Mayor of Dover Sue Jones and on the right historian and writer Lorraine Sencicle who was launching her book Haunted Dover at the time. Im the proud owner of same... we dont want to lose this shop...
Guest 666- Registered: 25 Mar 2008
- Posts: 323
14 January 2011
18:2888947This is a top shop, they have helped me many times to find titles and have ordered from them too.
All the staff have been helpful and polite, it would be a great loss if they closed this branch, the alternatives are not as good at all.
Oh Boy!, That'll be the day.........
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2011
18:3888948their service is first class, but we still have "hooked on books", they keep an excellent range of stuff and are pretty knowledgable on many subjects.
14 January 2011
18:4688953I love that shop! I could spend hours rummaging.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
15 January 2011
08:2589016It would indeed be a shame if it closed, such a prominent position in Town.
Jean buys all her books in there and would be saddened if it closed, as I'm sure, would the staff.
Hope at least that this store stays open.
Roger
Guest 685- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 85
15 January 2011
09:1789022Dover's history is an asset that the powers that be will not only ignore but will bulldoze away given half a chance.
Hence, it is important to ensure that every means at our disposal is utilised to keep our history in the public eye.
For my part having spent years campaigning including using the legal process, successes include - Western Heights, Old Metropole building, Connaught Park, Pencester Gardens; and failures which include - Brook House demolished, unique north of the Alps Roman remains that the council saw fit to drive piles through. Some twenty years ago, I started writing about what history, unique to our town that can still be seen or has influence.
Like all authors one needs outlets, be it the local papers - the Dover Mercury regularly publishes my contributions , the Dover Society have also started to publish them too! My first book, Banking on Dover, was self published in 1994 ... and still selling. My latest book, Haunted Dover, has proved to be a best seller of its type.
The main way that these books, and those of other local authors, are brought to the attention of potential readers are through bookshops such as Dover's Sussex bookshop in Biggin Street.
Sussex Bookshop not only stocks local history books but gives them pride of place, enables book signing - where the public can meet the locals who are local history authors.
This is of the greatest importance if one of Dover's greatest assets - its history - written by those who live in the district, is to be saved.
Through the Dover Forum web site, please can I appeal to the owners of Sussex Book store not to close it down.
Lorraine Sencicle
22 January 2011
10:3289887Just got back from town.
Sad to see that notices being pasted on the shop window that Closing Down and All Must Go.
Seems the Administrator has not found a buyer.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
22 January 2011
17:4089920yes i did notice that this morning when i was in town.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 January 2011
19:2789924i suspect this will be a very long "closing down sale".
the prices on the stuff displayed in their window are the same as before they went into adminstration.
it's far too early for the them to say that they cannot find a buyer.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
22 January 2011
19:4989928I will let you know more one of my family work there.
email: dover7@msn.com