The death of east London's most radical bookshop
5 hours ago
- #bookshop
- #unionization
- #activism
- Jack Parker witnessed a bizarre early morning scene at Scarlett Letters bookshop, where people, including a Google VP, were packing books and dismantling shelves.
- The bookshop, owned by Marin Scarlett, was a radical left-wing space that faced internal disputes over management, unionization, and a controversial 'toilet policy'.
- Staff unionized after 'toilet-gate', demanding sick pay, secure contracts, and a co-operative management model, but faced resistance from Scarlett and an anonymous investor.
- The dispute escalated on social media, leading to public outrage and accusations of the bookshop being a 'marketing campaign'.
- Scarlett announced the bookshop's closure, citing financial difficulties and the impact of the dispute, leading staff to occupy the shop in protest.
- The occupation ended abruptly when Scarlett and a team reclaimed the shop's stock in the early hours, leaving the space nearly empty.
- The former staff plan to reopen as 'The People’s Letters', a co-operative, while Scarlett maintains she tried to work with the union but was forced to close early due to the staff's actions.