A couple of months ago this magazine asked the question ‘Is it all bad at SPCK Bookshops?’ Well it seems it might be according to recent stories circulating in the trade.

Christian Marketplace understands that a number of suppliers have for some months now been seeking a meeting with Philip and Mark Brewer, president and chairman respectively, so far without success. “The most helpful thing they could do is to actually come and meet with the publishers to allay our concerns,” said one.

Given that SPCK Bookshops were supposed to be pursuing a new, more customer friendly approach to opening
hours and stock ranges, there seem to be significant problems in achieving this. Christian Marketplace is aware that a number of the SPCK shops, including Winchester, Chichester, and York are not open on Sundays either due to staff shortages or unwillingness of staff to comply with the instruction.

According to an article in the Church Times (14th September), ‘11 of the shops are without a manager, and no job vacancies have been advertised on [SPCK Bookshops’] website … Staff have been told that speaking to the press can be a sackable offence.

In a letter to staff, dated 17th November 2006 regarding confidentiality, which Christian Marketplace has seen, Philip Brewer wrote, “any breach of or failure to abide by this [confidentiality] policy already is and shall continue to be
grounds for dismissal or other appropriate disciplinary action.” This specifically related to internal written communications but, as he states elsewhere in this letter, “Almost all our communication with each other, particularly communications from me or others in management and administration, is sent electronically.” Therefore for any member of staff to discuss company policy, or the content of any company communication, externally could be regarded as ‘grounds for dismissal’.

At the time of going to press Christian Marketplace had been unable to obtain a comment from either Mark Brewer or other senior management at SPCK Bookshops. However Brewer is quoted in the Church Times article where he claims that “the morale of the SPCK Bookshops could not be better.” It is difficult to verify this statement due to the constraints placed on SPCK Bookshop staff regarding talking to the press. Simon Mackay, who was appointed to the post of Business Development Director earlier this year, left SPCK in September and will be joining Foyles bookshops.

A meeting of staff representatives was due to be held on 22nd September in Poole at which many of the staffs concerns, including the issues of Sunday opening and stock ordering and supply, were due to be discussed. Mark Clifford, Chairman of the BA CBG said, “We are concerned for the staff, and also for the impact on our trade as a whole, and will be discussing the issue at our next meeting.”