Jacqueline Wilson Joins Authors Backing Bookshops' Plea Against Tax Hikes
The acclaimed children's author, alongside other prominent writers, is urging the government to provide financial relief similar to that offered to pubs and music venues.
Children's author Jacqueline Wilson has lent her support to independent bookshops facing significant increases in business rates. Wilson, known for her popular "The Story of Tracy Beaker" series, is calling on government officials to provide bookshops with financial support, drawing a parallel to the tax relief measures implemented for pubs and bars.
Wilson is among a group of over 200 authors, including Joanne Harris and Sir Philip Pullman, who are campaigning against soaring business rates. These rising costs threaten the viability of many independent bookshops and could worsen the existing decline in reading among young people.
The campaign highlights that approximately 400 independent bookshops in England and Wales could see their business rates increase by an average of £4,563 annually by 2030. Authors argue that bookshops, unlike many other retailers, generally adhere to the printed prices of books, limiting their ability to absorb increased operational costs.
Meryl Halls, managing director of the Booksellers Association, stated that bookshops offer value beyond simple transactions by fostering community connections and contributing to the vibrancy of high streets. The authors involved in the campaign also emphasized the role bookshops play in combating a national crisis of declining reading for pleasure among eight to 18-year-olds, a trend noted as the lowest since records began.