Books for Amnesty, the only bookshop in Hammersmith, may be forced to close its doors in July.
Reported overhead costs and insufficient revenue mean the 30-year-old shop has been identified for closure, along with outlets in Kentish Town, Great Malvern and York.
Amnesty informed volunteers of their decision earlier this month, and has offered a brief consultation period before taking action.
Former Sunday Times literary editor Susannah Ford has supported Amnesty for many years as a donor and customer, and has volunteered in the shop for the past year.
She said: “Amnesty have seriously underestimated the goodwill and energy of the volunteers, and their commitment to making the shops successful.”
Ford indicated that the web page on Amnesty’s bookshop opens with: “Welcome to our second-hand bookshops, where the emphasis is on quality, value-for-money, and building community spirit.”
She said: “I think that the CEO and senior management at Amnesty should look at that first line again.
“In my experience, the bookshop is a very necessary social space for the community.”
Ford highlighted the shop allows people to buy high-quality books without breaking the budget and is served by volunteers, many experienced in publishing and book-selling, to transmit a love of reading.
She said: “It’s an alliance against screens, I love seeing mothers coming in with children and the delight of the child being allowed to choose her own book.
“And then the delight of the donor in knowing that their books are going to have another life and not end up in landfill.”
Volunteers claimed to have been told behind closed doors the decision is purely financial.
However, with just one salaried staff member and a business model which relies entirely on donations, questions have been raised about the source of these issues.
Moreover, there are concerns that a lack of shops will affect the charity’s presence and, subsequently, its flow of donations.
Charles, a volunteer at Amnesty for two years, said: “I think it’s a bad idea to have no physicality.
“If people don’t know that Amnesty exists then they can’t donate.”
To support Books for Amnesty’s petition please visit here.
Amnesty were contacted for comment.
Picture credits: Joe Mannion
