This East London LBGTQ+ Bookshop Needs Your Help To Keep It Going

Last Updated 23 October 2024

This East London LBGTQ+ Bookshop Needs Your Help To Keep It Going
A person reading a book in amongst shelves and shelves of them
Common Press needs your help in order to keep going. Image: Londonist

A cherished east London LGBTQ+ bookshop at risk of closure has turned to Crowdfunding to keep it going.

Common Press in Shoreditch is a queer intersectional bookshop, café and events space stocking over 7,000 titles, hosting 500+ events a year and creating a safe, inclusive and educational space for some 18,000 customers annually. Run by a group of queer BIPOC, trans, non-binary folx, and queer women, Common Press opened in 2021 and describes itself as 'creatives, activists, and change-makers championing collective liberation'. Londonist visited in 2023, making this video:

Now, though, Common Press' original investors are no longer able to support them, meaning the venue has switched to become a Community Interest Company (CIC). As part of this change, as well as seeking new investors, Common Press has launched a Crowdfunding campaign for £100,000. As of 23 October, the campaign has hit almost 50%, but there's less than two weeks to hit the goal amount. Additionally, Common Press invites people to sign up as paid members, with benefits including exclusive access to curated books, special events and giveaways.