SPCK/SSG: News, Notes & Info

About

Keep Up to Date
Subscribe today:    

WELCOME to SPCK/SSG: News, Notes and Info
This is a group blog which exists to provide a dedicated space for discussions and news relating to the ongoing SPCK/SSG Bookshops saga. Contributors include Phil Groom (the blog’s founder), David Keen, Phelim McIntyre and Matt Wardman. Please contact Phil if you would like to join the team, make suggestions or have any questions about the blog’s admin or structure. All comments are welcome but please read this page before you post. Thank you.

Setting the Scene
• SPCK/SSG: My Story, by Phil Groom: Personal Statement, 7th August 2008
• Hard Questions for SPCK: Challenging SPCK, 8th August 2008
• Straight Talking from SPCK: Official Statement from SPCK, 12th August 2008

.

In October 2006 the former SPCK Bookshops and their associated websites were entrusted by SPCK to the Saint Stephen the Great Charitable Trust (SSG), under the control of Messrs Philip and Mark Brewer. Unfortunately shops and staff alike suffered in the transition to new ownership, leading to staff departures, branch closures and uncertainty over opening times for those that remain.

In November 2007 SPCK withdrew SSG’s licence to trade under the SPCK name but throughout 2008 the name was still in use over most of the remaining shops and as of January 2009 was still being used on till receipts in at least one branch.

Reports emerging during June 2008 indicated a deepening crisis: SSG filed for bankruptcy in the USA whilst ownership and control of the shops was transferred to a new company — also registered to the Brewers — called ‘ENC Management Company’. The Durham and Chichester shops appear to have been reconstituted as independent trading companies but remain under the Brewers’ personal control.

In July 2008, Mark Brewer attempted to silence reporting on this affair by issuing “Cease and Desist” warnings and threats of legal action against several reporters including Dave Walker, Phil Groom and Clem Jackson of Christian Marketplace magazine. This backfired spectacularly, leading to an explosion of reporting and reposting of Dave Walker’s material across the blogosphere.

On 28th August 2008, however, the bankruptcy filing was dismissed with prejudice by the Texas Bankruptcy Courts and was described by the judge as having been submitted in bad faith: that is, as “done for a wrong or improper purpose.” (The Bookseller, 5 September 2008, Issue No. 5348, p.6). Shortly after this — on 24th September 2008 — the Brewers sold the Exeter shop for £507,000; it is now trading as a jewellery and gift store:

Many of the shop workers who were forced out of their jobs by the Brewers are being supported through Employment Tribunals by Usdaw: these actions are ongoing.

In view of this situation, anyone considering trading with SSG, ENC Management Company, the remaining shops, Third Space Books or any of the related companies would be wise to seek legal advice first. Melanie Carrol’s accounts of events surrounding the closure of the Lincoln branch give some idea of the kind of behaviour being exhibited by the Brewers:

Notices posted here are based upon the best available information at the time of posting. The situation and status of the shops is constantly changing: prospective customers are strongly advised to check before visiting. Unfortunately, the best source of information about the status of the individual branches, Dave Walker’s Former SPCK shop roundup, is currently unavailable due to threats of legal action issued by Mark Brewer on 22nd July 2008: for more information about that please see the Please Read page, explore the links in the News Index or read this review of The Dave Walker Reposts.

.

Terms of Use
Terms of use are specified at the bottom of the sidebar.

.

9 Comments

9 responses so far ↓

Leave a Comment