Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Book Bodega of Ramsgate turns new page with Twitter SOS

by February 28, 2023
February 28, 2023
Book Bodega of Ramsgate turns new page with Twitter SOS

Independent bookshops are a cornerstone of many high streets, offering cosy reading nooks and personalised recommendations to those willing to venture into town for their next paperback.

But running one is no easy feat. Sapphire Bates feared she would have to close the doors of her shop in Kent after rising business costs and a drop in custom left her £800 in the red. But an appeal on Twitter caught the imagination of book lovers and top-selling authors.

“We need your help,” Bates wrote. “I run Book Bodega, an indy bookshop in Ramsgate. Winter is killing us, it’s so quiet and we need to make £800 by Tuesday to pay our bills.”

Alongside the tweet, Bates, 29, posted a photo of her shop with no customers inside. But after reaching out to her followers for support, she said she was “gobsmacked” by the response.

“It was such a difference on Sunday,” she said. “We had people coming in all day. Even people who weren’t in a position to buy were coming in just to say, ‘We really love what you’re doing, we like your shop and we want to see independent bookshops do well’. There’s been a lot of love. Everyone’s been so kind. I’m so grateful.”

Bates, who opened Book Bodega in June last year with her partner, Nicholas Turner, said the response was “a massive motivational boost”. The couple have struggled to get authors to come to the shop, as Ramsgate is often overlooked by publishers when they are launching books. Adam Kay, the author of This is Going to Hurt, saw the tweet and offered to do a free event in the shop. Others who got in touch to offer support include Anthony Horowitz, the writer of the Alex Rider series; Sue Perkins, former host of The Great British Bake Off; the romance writer Jill Mansell; and Deborah Frances-White, presenter of the podcast The Guilty Feminist.

Bates said that she knew running a bookshop in a seaside town would come with challenges during winter but she had not realised just how difficult it would be. “Winter was tight but we’d managed to pay for everything,” she said. “This month was the first where we’ve been short by quite a lot of money.”

Bates had about 500 followers on Twitter before last weekend. Now she has more than 7,000. The shop is now inviting cash and book donations so it can give back to the local community. It is supporting Cliftonville Community Centre in Margate, which helps struggling families in the area, and Bates hopes to support other local causes.

Bates hopes her appeal reminds people to support local, independent bookshops, whether online or visiting in person. “I know it’s not just us that’s having a hard time this winter. It’s all bookshops, across the board,” she said.

Read more:
Book Bodega of Ramsgate turns new page with Twitter SOS

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Poor outlook for growth could limit scope for budget tax cuts
next post
DukeMarkets: Online Trading Broker Review (Updated 2023)

You may also like

7 Smart Reasons to Start with Bitcoin Today

April 25, 2025

Losses at Gordon Ramsay restaurants narrow sharply after...

May 15, 2023

UK private sector shrinks payrolls as weak demand...

December 17, 2024

SMEs fear winter supply chain crunch could hit...

October 23, 2023

Why Ordering Kiosks is the Necessity for Restaurant...

March 6, 2023

Rising debt distress sparks borrowing aversion among UK...

March 10, 2025

Secrets of Success: Mark Sinjakli, Founder and MD...

December 4, 2023

New King Charles 50p coins could be worth...

December 30, 2022

London launches first regulated crypto derivatives platform as...

May 13, 2025

The overall situation has been determined. The hottest...

December 19, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • America’s Not-So-Secret Secret Police

      August 7, 2025
    • Poll: Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Think They Have a Personal Social Security Account

      August 7, 2025
    • Republican senator claims RFK Jr. mRNA vaccine decision undermines Trump agenda

      August 7, 2025
    • Who is Anita Dunn? The Biden confidante who clashed with Hunter grilled in House autopen probe

      August 7, 2025
    • Case v. Montana Brief: Limit Loopholes to the Fourth Amendment

      August 7, 2025
    • Trump opens $9tn US retirement market to crypto in landmark executive order

      August 7, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,704)
    • Investing (2,184)
    • Politics (16,333)
    • Stocks (3,228)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved