Key facts
- Bestselling authors and 200 booksellers have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging business rates relief for bookshops.
- They argue bookshops provide significant community benefit and deserve support akin to pubs and music venues.
- The Treasury stated bookshops already receive some benefits but authors claim many are ineligible for full relief.
- Independent bookshops face projected annual tax increases of £4,563 by 2029/30.
- Total business rates for independent booksellers are expected to rise by 35% to £5.65m by the end of the decade.
Leading authors and booksellers have urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to implement emergency support for the UK's independent bookshops as part of his initiative to revitalize high streets. The group, including authors Maggie O’Farrell and Phillip Pullman, has written to Burnham, requesting a business rates relief package to alleviate the burden of high tax bills.
They argue that bookshops, like pubs and music venues which have recently received pledges for business rates cuts, deliver significant community benefit and warrant similar targeted support. The authors expressed disappointment that bookshops were not included in the relief announced for pubs and music venues, stating that the government has acknowledged businesses with community value deserve aid.
While government officials recognize the important role bookshops play, the Treasury points to existing lower business rates multipliers and temporary caps. However, the authors contend that these measures do not reflect the reality for many independent bookshops, with temporary reliefs set to expire. They claim that by 2029/30, independent bookshops could face annual tax increases of £4,563, necessitating the sale of over 1,100 additional books to cover the cost. The Booksellers Association estimates that total business rates paid by independent booksellers could rise by 35% to £5.65 million by the end of the decade.
The Booksellers Association has called on Burnham to balance his crackdown on 'rogue operators' with support for businesses that add value to high streets, highlighting bookshops' roles in hosting community events and promoting literacy.