We need bookshops not blight - Camden Council's 'unrealistic' 25% rent hike on Bloomsbury's Gay's The Word

Published: 12 March 2010

• I AGREE with Janet Nassau (Letters, March 5) about the astonishing imposition by Camden Council of a stupidly unrealistic 25 per cent rent increase on Gay’s the Word Bookshop in Bloomsbury.
Where responsible commercial landlords like Shaftesbury plc and the Howard de Walden Estate have been falling over themselves to foster the transparently greater community value of such rare, small, businesses which give back so much more to our streetscapes and citizenry, Camden Council aggressively seeks to blight Marchmont Street with yet another Starbucks or McDonald’s.
Having already forced out so many famous bookshops on Charing Cross Road to commonplace herbalists and coffee chains, when will Camden’s councillors finally intercede to bring their outdated and divisive lettings policy up to speed with modern practice?
IAN STEWART
Golden Square, W1