AFTER more than 30 years of trading Stroud’s Christian Bookshop will close its doors in April.
The closure is a result of decreasing book sales due mainly to an increase in internet shopping.
Although staff and volunteers at the store in London Road have worked hard to keep the shop open by starting to sell cards, gifts, music, Fairtrade goods and church supplies it has not been enough to save the business.
The Centre Christian Bookshop was originally set up 33 years ago by through Churches Together in Stroud.
In a statement released by the shop it thanked the work of the ‘faithful group of friends and associate churches as well as the paid staff and small army of volunteers to whom it is greatly indebted’.
Sylvia Bridgland, assistant manager at Centre Christian Bookshop, said: “Although we have to close the shop in April we are hoping to continue serving the community in some form in the future.”
At the present time the shop is hoping to stay open until Thursday, April 17 - which is also Maunday Thursday an important date in the Christian calender as it commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles before his crucifixion.
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