Book marks
A new bookshop is always welcome but there is a delicate irony to this month's opening of the Greater London Council shop in Charing Cross Road.
When, five years ago, publisher John Calder acquired the well-known Better Books shop, one of the first surprises awaiting him was in letter of notice to quit from the property owners — who happened to be the GLC. After a period of some uncertainty he decided to move the Better Books business from its premises at 94 Charing Cross Road to number 148, a building which required considerable refurbishment. It is now a matter of history that the money for modernisation failed to materialise, the backer backing out. Better Books went into liquidation last year.
Meanwhile, back at the other end of the road, another well-known London bookshop, Mark's had also been served with notice to quit by its property owners — who happened to be the GLC. Messrs Mark's, immortalised in Helen Hanff's book 84 Charing Cross Road, disappeared from the scene in 1971. .
Meanwhile, one of Mark's neighbours, Poole's Bookshop, had also been served notice to quit (by the GLC). Poole's eventually negotiated a six months extension and have continued to renew it ever since. Not that everything has been plain sailing, however. In 1972 GLC workmen entered the flats above the shop, breaking the baths and wash-basins and treating Poole's to a dose of flooding which did little to increase the value of the bookshop's stock.
Meanwhile, along the road at number 52, stood Collet's Penguin Bookshop. Collet's had their eye on the premises next door, at that time occupied by a firm calling itself Contemporary Books. When Contemporary announced its .departure Collet's were hoping to extend their own premises and indeed had first offer on the adjacent site. Unfortunately for them, the property owners required it themselves. Thus was the new GLC bookshop born.
I hope it enjoys better luck than Messrs Mark's, Poole's, Collet's and Better Books.
Shotgun review
Sandra Harris, the personable Thames TV presenter, has just had a baby but I fear the experience has gone to her head. Last week she devoted the whole of her Lunch-time Today programme to something called The Baby Book. The plug was, you might say, premature. Messrs Golden Hands are not planning to publish the book until September 26.
Bookbuyer
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