Camden Lock Books to close amid business rates pressure

Camden Lock Books will close in July after 18 years of trading in London’s Old Street, partly due to the pressure of rising business rates and rent.

The independent shop in London's Old Street, owned by Jason Burley, who also co-owns Burley Fisher Books in east London, is currently offering 23% off stock until it shuts on 23rd July.  It is understood that Burley will continue to work at Burley Fisher Books and on his rare books business.

Camden Lock Books is a general independent bookshop but also specialises in great photographic books, local history and books on contemporary music. Burley first opened an independent bookshop in 1984, in Camden Lock Market with an Enterprise Allowance (a former government scheme for unemployed). Later he updated the existing stock, sourced sought-after secondhand books and the store was transferred to three sites (one on the South Bank and two across Camden Lock). The site in Old Street was opened in 2002.

It was revealed that a number of factors contributed to the decision to close. A tweet on the @camdenlockbooks account reads: “It is a familiar tale of non-existent security of tenure, rent/Business Rates rises over years, personal tragedy… creeping old age, serious/major works at Old Street, @BurleyFisher, chronic back pain and new focus-selling rare or antiquarian books.”

Meryl Halls, m.d. of the Booksellers Association, paid tribute to Burley and the shop’s impact on the bookselling community just one day after she appeared before the Treasury Select Committee to discuss business rate reform. 

“Camden Lock Books has been a stalwart BA member for many, many years, and we’re particularly sad to see the shop closing after such a long tenure,” she said. “Jason has always been engaged and creative and part of the bookselling community, so it’s great that he will still be around, selling books, but it’s always heartbreaking when we lose a shop with books in.  The familiar tale of increasing costs, including business rates, illustrates yet again what a tough place retail can be, and how hard booksellers have to work to keep books on our high streets. It’s credit to Jason that he’s done this for so long, and that he has a positive legacy in Burley Fisher and in his rare books business. We wish him well.”

A number of independent booksellers expressed dismay about the end of the bookshop. Samuel Fisher, who runs Burley Fisher Books with Burley, said: “On 31st July @camdenlockbooks will be closing its doors after 18 years in Old Street. It was place that made me decide to become a bookseller, and place where @BurleyFisher was born. Go and celebrate this institution by buying all the books.”

The Gutter Bookshop‏ in Ireland tweeted: “I'm so sorry to hear this - you've been a guiding light here & it's always shit to hear of an indie bookshop closing. I hope you come out of it partially sane & with change in your pocket.”

Last June Burley told The Bookseller that the shop had seen its business rates go up by 10%, which he felt was forcing him into early retirement. He said at the time that bookshops should be given different status for rates because of their work with the community: "My argument is that independent bookshops make a very real and significant contribution to the community, in terms of literacy, working with schools, hosting events and [being] a safe space for families, and we should be able to have the same rate relief afforded to charity shops, of between 80% and 100%."