Dear BA Members,
 
As you know, we are currently lobbying the trade and government to swiftly improve the financial and cashflow situation for high street booksellers, in order to maximise the likelihood of viable bookselling businesses continuing through this crisis, and emerging intact from the situation, ready to bring books to readers for many more years.
 
I wanted to write to let you know that the BA Group Board has made the following decisions, in order to deliver the same commitment from us to independent booksellers:
 

1. The BA will waive all 2020 Subscriptions for independents with a subscription fee under £1,000 – those who have not yet paid will have the debt cancelled; those who have already paid will have their subscription fee refunded within the next two weeks
2. National Book Tokens will improve payment terms to all independent BA members. Book Tokens will continue to pay all customers whose account is in credit at month end as usual, but will not require payment for 90 days from independent booksellers whose accounts are in debit at month end. This will come into immediate effect.
3. The BA Group will donate £30,000 to the Book Trade Charity, with the intention that the money is used for hardship grants for booksellers affected by the current crisis – to find out more about how to access personal (not business) grants from the Book Trade Charity please see here http://www.btbs.org/ and email info@booktradecharity.org

 
The Book Trade Charity (BTBS) is working with The Booksellers Association to offer support for individuals facing particular hardship due to the current Covid-19 situation.  We are offering (non-repayable) grants to help with domestic crises – whether that be help with rent payments, putting food on the table or another problem arising from the present difficulties.  Applications are welcome from anyone facing difficult financial/personal circumstances at this time; we know that problems can arise quickly and we will do all we can to help, as quickly as we can.  Let us know your problem, and we will see how we can help.   Our staff have had to institute home-working in response to the crisis, so the best way to make contact is by email: info@btbs.org – please mention that your enquiry is related to The Booksellers Association initiative.
 
  You don’t need to do anything to access these measures, except for the Book Trade Charity information – we will be in touch with you shortly, and refunds of your subs fees will come to you automatically.
 
In the meantime, keep checking the BA Coronavirus page on our website https://www.booksellers.org.uk/industryinfo/industryinfo/Coronavirus-Resources-for-Booksellers and follow us on social media @BABooksellers