Afrori Books secures new premises in Brighton

Afrori Books – a Brighton-based bookshop which specialises in books by Black authors – has been saved from closure after securing a new premises in Brighton. 

In December, the bookshop received news of a rent hike due to be implemented on 1st April. Shop owner Carolynn Bain said the new fees would be “untenable” and that the bookshop would have to leave its current base as a result (Afrori currently operates out of a building owned by the arts charity Lighthouse). 

With just two weeks to go until the increase, Bain has found a new home. Afrori will move to the Brighthelm Centre – a community centre on North Road, Brighton – in late April, re-opening on 6th May. 

Bain, who is up for Bookseller of the Year at the British Book Awards, said: “It has been a really difficult time and there have been a lot of tears in the last few months. I guess now we are still crying, but they are tears of joy”.

Afrori Books opened in 2020. Since then, it has run anti-racist workshops, hair education programmes and bookclubs for Sussex and Brighton universities among other events. 

Bain added: “We said all along that we didn’t just want to go into any space, but we wanted to go to the right space. One where we could expand on the community work we really want to do. A space that was safe for black people and their allies and a place where community was front and central. We believe that Brighthelm is that space. They are already doing the work and we have a lot of common ground. We are genuinely excited about the coming year.”

A crowdfunder launched to cover the cost of relocation has now raised £19,000. A fundraising event is taking place at Brighton Unitarian Church on New Road on 30th March.