The journey to re-opening bookshops is, we all know too well, going to be a long and challenging one and the BA is here to help booksellers prepare for that process.

In the coming days, we hope to come back to you with information about how the BA will be able to help you with sourcing materials, signage, consumer messages, window and in-store items to help create a safe, yet welcoming environment for your customers – and for you and your staff.

Today, we are pleased to be able to send you a Guide to Social Distancing on Re-opening for Bookshops.   This Guide has been adapted from one created by the British Retail Consortium and USDAW, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, and we thank them for the work in pulling it together.

We have adapted it for booksellers, and we hope it is a useful starting point for you.  It is, however, just that – a starting point.  We will be adding to it over the coming days and weeks, and specifically are working on a list of resources and suppliers of materials for you to get ready for safe re-opening.

We are also continuing to liaise with suppliers, other retail bodies, other trade organisations and other Booksellers Associations around the world to gather best practise and share it with you, making sure that you have all you need to safely re-open, when you decide that is what is best for your business.

The European & International Booksellers Federation is holding a webinar on 5th May, where two German booksellers will talk about re-opening their bookshops in Germany.   You are warmly invited to join the webinar ‘Booksellers’ perspective on re-opening of their shops’ next Tuesday, 5 May, at 7pm Brussels time – 6pm in the UK.  The talk will last 45 minutes, and will be hosted online on Zoom.  There will be time for questions, but feel free to share your questions in advance already.   You can register by emailing Jasmina Kanuric jasmina.kanuric@europeanbooksellers.eu 
 
The BA is lobbying the government to allow bookshops to be in the first wave of safe re-opening but in order for that to happen, we all need to take seriously the ramifications and implications of the work required to keep staff and customers safe – as well as gradually put in place commercial, practical and health and safety measures which will maximise the potential for effective bookselling for you all.

As we gather information from the government, from suppliers, from other retailer bodies and from other retailers who are already open and implementing the guidelines, we will share this information with you.

If you have any queries or concerns, please do get in touch with us. We also encourage booksellers to keep up to date with Coronavirus resources and updates on our dedicated webpage.