# New radical-anarchist bookshop in Bristol?



## Bristolian (Aug 20, 2005)

Following the sad closure of Greenleaf a couple of us have been looking around for premises for a second hand radical/anarchist bookshop in Bristol. Could also provide box numbers for  local groups. Need to find something for no more than £60 a week but nothing as yet - any suggestions - however offbeat - welcome. Could be a corner of someone elses shop or whatever!


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## DaveCinzano (Aug 20, 2005)

the shop that used to be 'urban traffic' in the rebuilt demolition diner on stokes croft/cheltenham road/ashley road is empty and has been a while - i think that's got some sort of 'first six months rent holiday' or peppercorn thing on it. also the café at the end of jamaica street is shut down.

how about any of the picton street units?

the 'ethical property company'(!) owns a lot of the business properties on colston & picton, but i think they are a little pricey.


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## Bristolian (Aug 20, 2005)

*Full Marks rises!*

Cheers - that would be a top site with its anarchist history. Have investigated  but there seems to be some sort of  legal process going on with it involving Orbit Housing association. But will phone Orbit again on Monday to see whats happening. Will check out other suggestions. Ta.


QUOTE=bristle-krs]the shop that used to be 'urban traffic' in the rebuilt demolition diner on stokes croft/cheltenham road/ashley road is empty and has been a while - i think that's got some sort of 'first six months rent holiday' or peppercorn thing on it. also the café at the end of jamaica street is shut down.

how about any of the picton street units?

the 'ethical property company'(!) owns a lot of the business properties on colston & picton, but i think they are a little pricey.[/QUOTE]


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## Divisive Cotton (Aug 20, 2005)

Has Greenleaf closed!! Why was that???


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## fat hamster (Aug 20, 2005)

Link to thread about demise of Greenleaf.


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## DaveCinzano (Aug 20, 2005)

Divisive Cotton said:
			
		

> Has Greenleaf closed!! Why was that???



not making enough money to suvive in a bookselling world dominated by amazon/bookbarn and other online retailers i think - see here: http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=125113


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## Serotonin (Aug 21, 2005)

Just been listening to a report on BBC 5 Live about book sellers closing down, blaming the rise in supermarket sales mainly, as well as large book chain wholesalers.
Lots of blame on the loss of the NET book agreement a few years back, but I am undecided whether thats a fair point. Surely price fixing of anything should not be encouraged, especially books and information.
Book sales in the UK are at an all time high, which has to be a good thing, with more people reading nad seeking out books as a form of entertainment and information, but the down side is independent sellers are feeling the pinch.


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## inks (Aug 22, 2005)

While starting up an alternative / radical bookshop in Bristol to replace Greenleaf is an interesting proposal I don't think it quite works.

I just don't think that there's a demand to actually buy the books.

And the gap that Greenleaf has left isn't as a place to buy books.  It's more almost the community centre aspect of the place, the services that it provided (often free, too) on top of actually selling books and pamphlets.

It was a place to sell tickets for demo coaches, use as an address for small, radical groups, stick up posters for actions and events and so on.

If I want to buy a book by Noam Chomsky or someone like that I can get it online or order it through Waterstones.  And the various lefty groups that used to churn out cheap and interesting pamphlets and propaganda are now using websites and email lists instead.

So if people are talking about a replacement, maybe it's worth thinking about what the replacement would be for.  I'd suggest a general 'open during the day focal point' is what the city lacks at the moment.  There's plenty of community centres and pubs with rooms for organised events, but not a general point of reference where people can just wander in because they're in town and want to check out what's happening.

More of a cafe than a bookshop, maybe?


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## WasGeri (Aug 22, 2005)

*Full Marks rises!*




			
				Bristolian said:
			
		

> Cheers - that would be a top site with its anarchist history.



That would be cool - I used to love going there when I was a teenager.

To the Full Marks bookshop I mean, not the Demolition Diner - I was too scared to go in there.


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## Donna Ferentes (Aug 22, 2005)

When I was growing up every sizeable town seemed to have at least one radical bookshop. Now it's hard to find any at all.


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## fat hamster (Aug 22, 2005)

Geri said:
			
		

> That would be cool - I used to love going there when I was a teenager.
> 
> To the Full Marks bookshop I mean, not the Demolition Diner - I was too scared to go in there.


LOL!  I remember the Demolition Diner being pretty intimidating, though I did go there once for some women's night or summat.

It would be great to see another radical bookshop where Full Marks once stood.

Bristolian - I've got quite a lot of information about buildings on Stokes Croft (I'm on the steering committee for the Stokes Croft Regeneration Consultation   ) if you fancy PMing me.  I've also got an idea about another possible location but don't want to post it on a public board just yet.


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## where to (Aug 22, 2005)

never been to bristol, but the main (only?) radical bookshop in edinburgh is right next to the uni, which presumably gets it a lot of trade.


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