Saturday, April 25, 2009

Putting the record straight on John Adams Bookshop....

I read that John Adams wants to get customers back! After holding a six month long closing down sale is it any wonder that many have drifted away to Amazon, WH. Smith, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and more than a few to my bookshop, MR. Books? Doug Jeffers, the London-based owner of the shop, by the way John Adams himself sold the shop 12 years ago, is now telling the local press that he's staying open at least for the time being. He told me a couple of weeks ago that he's extended his lease only for another six months and has had his rent slashed to £10,000. I'm pretty sure that he won't be able to keep the rent at £10k though, when the landlords want £32,500 for the new lease according to their agents. So Tonbridge Blog predicts that John Adams, or is it now called My Back Pages, as it says on the window of the shop, will only be open for another ten months tops and that's if he manages to get the lease extended again. I could be wrong but I'm willing to put money on it. I am aware that I have a vested interest in this one but Mr. Jeffers ought to be straight with the people of Tonbridge. I've been reliably informed that he's keeping the shop open only so that he can flog off all the stock that he couldn't sell during the lengthy "closing down sale." Also don't believe all that rubbish that they had difficulty getting hold of new stock because of Woolworths closing down. What rot! Betrams, who were part owned by Woollies, are not the only supplier of new books. Mr. Books Bookshop has been happily ordering new books in for customers, in inceasing numbers, throughout the whole of that period from another new book wholesaler, Gardners of Eastbourne, who John Adams also have an account with, so how can his story stack up? Come on Mr. Jeffers, stop miss-leading the people of Tonbridge, you are closing down soon so just be straight with us....

1 comment:

Paul Bailey said...

With rents that high I'm surprised there aren't even more empty shops in the Angel Walk!