A new Christian bookshop is bucking the trend of people buying books online – and it is hoping to expand further.
The number of UK Christian bookshops has declined significantly in the 21st century, with some online estimates suggesting that only around 200 remain, down from roughly 700 in the late 1990s.
But new bookstore Equip Eastbourne – which opened its doors in November of last year – told en: “We have been prayerfully seeking the right opportunity to re-establish a store that can serve Eastbourne and the surrounding area.”
Equip’s predecessor, The Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre, on Seaside Road, closed its doors permanently in 2022 – after more than 70 years of service – reportedly following a decline in sales and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With so many active churches in the town, we are passionate about equipping both congregations and the wider community with life-changing Christian resources”, Equip continued. On its opening day, the new bookshop welcomed over 200 visitors.
Equip is part of a charity called Kingsway CLC Trust (KCLCT) which runs another Equip bookshop in Aberdeen, Scotland. KCLCT has had a presence in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, for many years, “and when our lease came up for renewal in October 2024, we saw an exciting opportunity to create a space that combined both an office and a bookshop,” Equip Eastbourne told en. “Over the following months, we transformed the space with renovations and careful planning to make it a welcoming place for the local community.”
When asked about their hopes for the next five years, Equip Eastbourne said a key part of KCLCT’s vision – summarised as “Spreading the Word, reaching the world” – is to open another Equip bookshop.
