A COMMUNITY bookshop is "extremely happy" to have finally opened its doors in St Helens town centre and offer something different to the public.
St Helens Book Stop has been set up due to a community fundraising effort, with a crowdfunding appeal last year seeing the store secure a backing of £45,000.
When Westfield street store Wardleworth’s closed the idea was sparked for a community book shop to open this idea was formed in 2019.
It will be run and owned by the community, and it is hoped will be a huge benefit for the town.
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There are more than 300 members consisting of people from the community of St Helens and people who used to live in the town who have got behind the community project.
While it was initially hoped to launch the shop earlier in the year, the store has been unveiled to customers today (Friday, November 26).
While the interior is not quite fully completed, trustees agreed to open the shop in time ahead of Christmas.
St Helens Book Stop manager Laura Goodchild, from Parr, said it is a "relief" to see the bookshop finally launched and is "extremely happy" to be open.
"It is so exciting to be finally open and it's fantastic to be able to interact with customers," she said.
"We have had so much positive feedback already, we've had a lot of people coming in and we've made more than I expected so far.
"We've been hearing people say: 'we need a bookshop in St Helens', it's providing something we haven't got.
"We have lots of stuff here and if we don't have what they want we can order it for them.
"It's an incredibly happy feeling to see it open and see such positive feedback."
Those who have given their backing to the bookshop project include St Helens-born Sir Michael Smurfit, one of Europe's most successful businessmen; Brendan O'Neill, ex-CEO of ICI and Guinness Brewing Worldwide; choreographer Paul Harris, and Milton Grundy, the founder of Gray's Inn Tax Chambers.
Meanwhile, journalists Ray Connolly and David Lawrenson, author and journalist Charles Nevin and Andrew Lees, the neurologist and author, have also given their support.
Closer to home, others to have invested include Saints captain James Roby, club chairman Eamonn McManus, the Steve Prescott Foundation's Linzi Prescott, women's rugby league player Jodie Cunningham, ex-Premier League football referee Chris Foy, actor Phil Gwilliam and council leader David Baines.
Saints shareholder Michael Coleman is also on the investor list as is local fashion retailer Chris O'Dea, O2's Steve Roberts, Andy Reid's Standing Tall Foundation, ex council chief executive Mike Palin and former council leader Derek Long.
The premises also includes a spacious cafe area, run by Two Brothers, who also have a main premises in Barrow Street which was launched in August by Steve and Dave Jones.
Steve added: "It is great to be part of a community bookstore and there has been a great response from the St Helens public.
"It's great to be able to offer more seats, if the other shop is full we can seat more people in here."
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