Brighton community rallies to support Afrori bookshop

Brighton locals have come together to support an independent bookshop which faces closure if it does not find new premises in the next six weeks. 

In December 2020, Afrori, which specialises in books by Black authors, was told its rent would quadruple this April. Shop owner Carolynn Bain said that the new fees were “simply untenable”. 

A crowdfunder to assist with the launch of a new shop has seen local people rally to support Afrori, with one supporter organising two fundraising events. 

Bain said the response from customers had been “phenomenal”. “There’s not a day that goes by without people coming and encouraging us,” she said.

Adriana Lord, who moved to Brighton from Havana over a decade ago and has been visiting the shop since it opened, is hosting two events to raise money: a poetry and music event for children and a gig for adults. 

“To me it was groundbreaking, because I have a 13-year-old daughter and when she was growing up we couldn’t find any books with children who looked like her. It was difficult to find books from different cultures,” she said.

“When I went with my daughter to different places or playgroups, sometimes we would feel like we were not welcome. But in Afrori, I feel like I’m at home.”

Earlier this year, Komedia Brighton cinema held an exclusive screening of “Saint Omer” in partnership with Afrori and donated a share of proceeds to the crowdfunder. Bain recalled meeting a local tattoo artist, who plans to donate a percentage of all her takings for a day’s work. And a six-year-old who frequents the shop’s Saturday craft club offered up his pocket money. “I just burst into tears,” said Bain.

Some supporters have come from further afield, too. Bain said: “There was a woman who came in two weeks ago from Scotland. We asked if she was here for the weekend and she said yes. I asked if she was seeing a show and she said, ‘No, we came for the shop. We’ve bought from you online and we thought it was really important that we come in and you see our faces so we can tell you to keep going’.”

Bain added: “If anything, what’s happened is that I am really understanding the impact that this space has on people in the community.”

Afrori will be forced to leave the current premises on 31st March, before the rent hike. At the time of writing, Bain has raised £11,500 of her £25,000 target. She is competing against a larger business for a new building elsewhere in Brighton and said that conversations with Brighton and Hove council have proved fruitless. 

She explained: “I’m told that it’s having a positive impact because [the council] are having to look again at how they support Black-owned and marginalised businesses. But it doesn’t really help me on the ground.” 

A council spokesperson said: “Afrori Books is an amazing business that offers an invaluable space and opportunities for Black communities in the city. The current challenges for small businesses are without precedent and we will continue to explore what practical support we can offer Afrori.

“At present, the solutions we can provide are limited. We understand how frustrating this is for Carolynn and community members. We appreciate that the situation is urgent, and will continue to work on possible solutions— including with our city partners—while keeping in contact with Carolynn.

"As part of our longer-term anti-racism strategy, we are continuing to improve support for Black & Minority Ethnic business communities and BME residents who may wish to set up or grow businesses."

The children’s poetry and music event takes place on 4th March at Afrori’s current premises in the North Laine area. The gig will be held on 30th March at Brighton Unitarian Church.