London Arabic bookshop set to close after nearly 45 years in business

A Center Japanese specialist bookshop is ready to shut its doorways on the finish of the 12 months, 44 years because it first opened in Westbourne Grove, London

Al Saqi Books says it stands for freedom of thought and expression, in addition to cultural variety.

However after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and now the vitality disaster, Salwa Gaspard, co-founder Al Saqi Books, says she has to close it.

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It was like household, as a result of as Lebanese, fleeing Lebanon, , we had no household in London and this was our household.

Salwa Gaspard

Co-founder Al Saqi Books

"It was like household, as a result of as Lebanese, fleeing Lebanon, , we had no household in London and this was our household. All the staff had been like household, so most of the prospects grew to become like household. It was like a house from residence, , so, we're shedding all this now," says Salwa.

The Arab language e book store's identify means 'water vendor' and prospects say the shop is a well known landmark within the space and are shocked to see it go.

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A lot of the books I can not even discover again residence

Farah Otozbeer

LSE scholar

Farah Otozbeer is a LSE scholar and says she's sorry to see the store shut. 

"Right here I discover extra books written by individuals from the Center East and the World South usually as a result of there's clearly extra openness with the press right here. So that is additionally like what makes this bookstore particular, a lot of the books I can not even discover again residence," explains Farah.

Joseph Devine has labored at Al Saqi for practically two years and he says the scenario could be very unhappy.

"It is a tragedy actually, we have had a number of prospects coming into the store who've been shopping for books right here for the reason that 70s, I suppose everybody thought that our Al Saqi would simply at all times be right here," Joseph says. "It is such a form of landmark on this space. So everybody's been devastated and shocked actually."

Nevertheless, the award-winning unbiased publishing home Saqi Books will proceed.