Home

Advertisement

Champagne Now On Ice

  • Jun. 7th, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Over on the SPCK/SSG blog it is reported that nearly all the shops taken over and run into the ground are now closed. The exceptions are Durham, where the Brewers have been given notice that they are out as of next May, and Chichester. Things are moving fast now the Charity Commission is involved. We need to watch though that this is not another Brewer stalling tactic to slow down the process of justice - that they have refused to pay one agency and are going to find another one.

Now Chichester diocese - what are you going to do to put pressure on the Brewers?

Even so, a bottle of champagne is being put on ice in the hope of a celebration soon.
  • Mood: jubilant

Tags:

They're all doomed Captain Mainwaring doomed (said in a Scottish accent)

  • May. 15th, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Who are doomed - the Brewer Bros Mark and Phil. To crow like Dora the Explorer "We did, we did it, we did it Yeah, we did it" may be a bit previous but the clock is ticking till we can dance with a talking backpack, map and monkey in wellies.

Over the last week the Charities Commission have pounced. When they get their teeth into something they are like terriers with a rat - they do not let go until they have shaken the corrupt body to bits. I would have liked action sooner but we need to remember how Mark and Phil have tried to muddy the water.

The office for SSG was in Poole, then in London (at the SPCK shop), then Chester. Of course the poor Charity Commission were still trying to deal with Poole. The the Brewers tried, illegally, to make the trading arm of SSG bankrupt through the US courts and got into trouble about this. With this they started three companies - ENC Shop Management which was created in America and is based at Chester, Chichester Shop Management and Durham Cathedral Shop Management both of which were founded in Australia and are based at therespective shops. All three shops have the Brewers as directors. Then we can add Third Space books into the mix.  If we look at the list of shops on the Third Space website we find the following shops owned by SSG: Bradford, Canterbury, Chester, Chichester, Durham, Hereford, Manningham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Poole, Salisbury, Truro, Winchester, Worcester, York. Yeah right. A number are closed by the Brewers' have never been noted for their accuracy or honesty. So if we add the offices of PBLaw the Charity Commisioners have had 5 UK addresses, an Australian address and possibly two in the US.

To this issue of the Charity Commissioners we have the ongoing issue of Traiding Standards, the battles over the SPCK name, unpaid pension contributions and tax contributions. Well these last two have been paid by the staff, its just that no-one knows where they have gone. And the countless suppliers who are still owed money. I now hear rumours that the Church they brought in Bradford is now for sale. Is this more assest stripping or have they defaulted on the mortgage due to the credit crunch? Suggestions on  a postcard. Either way I'm sure Mark Brewer has found the capital from the SSG pot to pay his own legal fees.
  • Mood: cheerful

Tags:

Who lives in a house like this?

  • Dec. 29th, 2008 at 10:33 AM

It is amazing what is on the bankruptcy documents, using this I have found where the Chair of SSG and BP Law lives. Now remember this is a company where they owe hundreds of thousands of dollars to creditors and staff - that attempted, in bad faith, to make a nonexistant body bankrupt through the US system and has since been punished.

Considering the tract record of nonpayment what would you think when you discover that the house is worth $1,353,500 or (at the current exchange rate) £ 920,748.

The house has 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms (how can you have half a bathroom - does that mean a shower room) and is one of the cheapest in the road where the Brewers' live. If they can afford to pay the mortgage on this property why can't they pay their bills here in the UK

Have done some more searching Sandra Brewer (a trustee of St Stephen the Great and therefore one of the people who with Phil Brewer employed Mark Brewer to act in "bad faith", and director of ENC Shop Management Company, Chichester Shop Management and Durham Cathedral Shop Management) who, I presume, is Mark's wife is choir director at their church. Does the minister there know about the trouble with the courts for malpractice that his choir director and her husband have been involved in? If so does he care?

Edit - 30/12/08
Forgot to say thank you to Matt Wardman of Wardman Wire for pointing me in the right direction for my research.
  • Mood: shocked

Tags:

When Silence Becomes Defening.

  • Nov. 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 PM

It's not just my imagination is it? Or have I missed something? Over the last month any form of official comment on the St Stephen the Great situation appears to have vanished. It would appear that people are doing an impression of Zippy from Rainbow. Yet those of us trying to follow the story, yet alone those who are affected by the Brewers mis-management need to know what is going on. While there are a number of people who want to speak out and can't surely there are those who can?

So what news are we waiting for? In no particular order:
  • The news from America concerning J Mark Brewer's attempts to make SSG bankrupt a fraud of court.
  • News from the industrial tribunials.
  • News as to how SSG has managed to make Exeter a jewellers, when there is a clause in the covenant as to the shop being used for Christian retail purposes.
  • A response from Durham concerning the petition started by Phil Groom. If, as some ex-staff have said, there is a get out clause, why haven't Durham Cathedral used it?
  • News from Chichester diocese. All I have heard is that the Chichester shop was mentioned as a possibility of something happening, at the SPCK AGM? I am intrigued. Chichester Diocese, please explain.
  • News from the Charity Commission on SSG's behaviour.
And this is all I can think of while I am waiting for my Sunday lunch to finish cooking.

Come on those who can give us news - speak up. The Brewer's want us to go away - but we won't until we see "justice role like rivers, and righteousness like a never failing stream" on this issue.
  • Mood: worried

Tags:

Data Protection Concerns at SSG/ENC

  • Oct. 21st, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Over on the SPCK SSG Blog, Phil Groom reports the following concerning news:

A former member of staff, who does not wish to be identified, was passing the shop where s/he once worked as the new tenants were moving in. Seeing them clearing out the remains of SSG’s tenancy, s/he asked if s/he could take some of the debris off their hands. “Sure,” they said, and, amongst other things, they handed over a metal filing box that had been left behind.

At home, s/he opened the box and discovered:

… personal material about one staff member who had a disability and was employed with help from [...] - there are several of [...]’s confidential reports in there. Also included are job applications, staff addresses and phone numbers… there is even a month’s worth of till reconciliations, including the PDQ machine slips, which, if you know anything about the SPCK tills, means that I have a whole batch of credit card details with the full number and start finish dates…

For the full report follow this link:
http://spckssg.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/warning-to-spckssg-bookshop-customers-and-staff-your-personal-data-is-at-risk/
  • Mood: worried

Tags:

Letter to Mark Brewer

  • Oct. 14th, 2008 at 10:05 AM

This letter has been sent to Mark Brewer by the "We Support Dave Walker" group on Facebook. Hope this gets the result of Mark brewer withdrawing his threats.

Dear Mr. Brewer

We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes bishops, national journalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned members of the public. 

We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the ‘Cease and Desist’ letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as, although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”

Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libelous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephen the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to expressed their grief and condolences to Steve’s family. 

Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.

So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that your ‘cease and desist’ communication no longer stands, and let him report freely. 

Yours sincerely

Rev. David Keen and seven other signatories representing the ‘We Support Dave Walker’ group


  • Mood: hopeful

Tags:

Fairy Tales, by the Brewers Grim

  • Oct. 12th, 2008 at 6:20 PM
Sorry for the silence, but I haven't had much time to blog.

Over on SPCK SSG News (http://spckssg.wordpress.com/) and on Matt Wills blog (http://mattwillschinablogger.blogspot.com/2008/10/whilst-researching-ssgspck-saga-i.html) a memo from the Phil Brewer has appeared with a parable from Russia. It is about a father, a girl and a money lender.

Here is the full tale and post

Friday, January 04, 2008

Farmer and the Money Lender

 
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.

What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

I found this story on the following blogs amongst many others:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20080428071916AAgSOdj
http://funbath.blogspot.com/2008/01/farmer-and-money-lender.html
http://www.theubgroup.com/Pegasus-june-aug2006/reader.htm
 
Now - here comes the fun part. Every blog I could find that mentioned the village in the story mentions an Indian village. This tale actually comes from the Indian sub continent. Why did Phil Brewer see fit to change the tale to a Russian one?

What is Phil Brewer trying to say? Remember his brother is being charged in court for fraud. Is St Stephen the Great the poor hard working farmer? Are the US Bankruptcy court, USDAW, the publishers still owed money and the unpaid staff the Money Lender?

On Phil Groom's blog people have suggested more appropriate casting in fairy tales from the Brewers. The wicked step mother and ugly sisters from Cinderella is one, but how about the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland (big grin and then vanishes when people need their wages) or the wicked queen from Snow White?

With the panto season almost upon us (O Yes It Is!) May be we could have some light relief by someone writing some songs and scenes for us.

  • Mood: irate

Tags:

Agenda for Meeting Wed 10th September

  • Sep. 8th, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Have been asked to post this concerning the meeting on Wednesday 10th.

Agenda is as follows (at the moment)
  • Welcome and Bible Reading
  • Apologies for Absence
  • Why we are gathered (what has been happening)
  • Update of situation concerning bankruptcy and tribunials
  • Success stories - shops that are reopenning (inc UTB, Norwich, Cardiff and others) or thinking of re-openning
  • Other success stories (the two Raymonds)
  • How can we help as 1) Publishers and 2) Booksellers
  • How can we support people outside of the blogs - regional meetings.
  • Any Other Business
  • Next Meetings
 For any more details please email Phelim McIntyre at spckrefugee@operamail.com but names are needed if you are going asap.
 
 
  • Mood:busy

Meeting anouncement

  • Sep. 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Have been asked to send this out on beahlf of an exSPCK staff member.

Next Wednesday there is a meeting being held in London. Details of time and where are here http://spckssg.wordpress.com/diary/

What we need now though are two things: firstly I need to know you are coming. It is open to exSPCK/SSG staff (and current staff if you are willing to come) and those in the publishing/bookselling world. Other interested people can come but let me know please at spckrefugee@operamail.com

Secondly we need to get an agenda together. A lot has happened in the months since this meeting was called. The death of Steve Jeynes. The pension chaos. The petition concerning the Durham shop. The bankrupty case being thrown out. Shops openning in Cardiff and soon to open in Norwich and elsewhere. In all this how can we support each other beyond the blogs? How can we support those who want to start a bookshop to replace the old SPCK/SSG one? How can we provide emotional support for each other? How can we continue to make sure that something rises from the mass destruction caused by the Brewers? Again please let me know what you want discussed. the email to use is the same as above spckrefugee@operamail.com.

Phelim

  • Mood: curious

Tags:

Brewer speaks with forked tongue

  • Aug. 29th, 2008 at 10:54 AM
The Bookseller has a sort of interview with Mark Brewer. Yet again he speaks with forked tongue. The full article is here http://www.thebookseller.com/news/65905-brewer-defends-ssg-liquidation.html 

Firstly Mark Brewer states that "abysmal" Christmas sales last year meant that "by late spring, the chain was plainly insolvent". What Mark Brewer fails to say is that the replacement companies for SSG Ltd were started before late Spring so the signs were already there. Also a large part of the abysmal sales were tied to the fact that the shops had no stock to sell as they could not any order due to unpaid bills - that it was the Brewer's financial mismanagement that led to the problem.

As to the issue of making SSG Ltd in the US, we have to remember that the Brewers, BP Law and the people doing the accounts are based in the US. Therefore "This made bankruptcy in the US a viable alternative to a UK insolvency, and given the dollar-pound exchange rate, US bankruptcy was dramatically less expensive," he said. "Candidly, the charity simply did not have the funds to institute an insolvency proceeding in England."

In June, the trustee for the Chapter 7 liquidation, Randy W Williams filed a motion to dismiss the case. He said, "On its face, there is nothing to liquidate and nothing available to fund an investigation in the UK". Brewer admitted that "due to the relatively small number of assets, the trustee did not feel that liquidation was worth his while." Actually reading the motion to dismiss the Trustee (Mr Randy Williams) had doubtsabout the legality of the bankruptcy case and asked for it to be kicked out because it was illegal NOT because it was not worth his while. This case has since been dismissed - SSG is not bankrupt and can not be made bankrupt in the US.

Mark Brewer said that he "unintentionally" alienated staff with a new buying policy, which included a discontinuation of selling the Koran and an increase in the number of Orthodox materials sold. "[Staff] actively worked to prevent implementation of anything to do with change until the chain's finances were too far gone for any change to have worked," he said. What Mark Brewer does not say is that his new buying policy contravened the agreement with SPCK when SSG took over the bookshops. Staff did not actively work to prevent implementation of anything. We did not have to. many of the contract changes were illegal, and the book buying was a mess because it was removed piecemeal from the managers, given to a senior manager who was unable to do anything because of unpaid bills. Also soaps, lotions and icons were sent over to shops from the States, with ridiculous selling prices, and the shops left to foot the vat bill which often ran into 3 figures.  Staff bent over backwardsto try and save the shops, but because of mismanagement by the Brewers this could not happen.

"I certainly share fault for this, mainly because I failed to muster the necessary support of the senior staff." No Mark - you are at fault because you did not treat the staff at SPCK as human beings, you treated them like slaves and were unable to cope when you discovered they had a mind of their own.


  • Mood: aggravated

Tags:

How much do I owe myself - pt 2

  • Aug. 14th, 2008 at 8:09 AM
Since my post concerning how much J Mark Brewer owes himself I have received this:

If you google.com then you do find something - you find this:
http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organization.asp?tn=1482683
This lists the official registered info for the organisation ( the nearest you get to the UK Charity Register info).
Happy reading.

If you follow the link you will find that the named individual about Orthodox Christian Mission Fund is Mark Brewer. So yes Mark Brewer, as Orthodox Christian Mission Fund, has recieved $75,338.07 off SSG and claims to be owed $494,097.55.
  • Mood: annoyed

Tags:

Riding to the Defence of - Simon Kingston

  • Aug. 13th, 2008 at 8:16 AM
Yesterday I posted SSG were trying to sue Simon Kingston, Haley Dossor and Joanne Grenfell. This seems to have caused a bit of a stir. This information comes from the documents from the States concerning the Bankruptcy, Amended Schedule B - Personal Property page 2 item 21. Having looked up Joanne Grenfell this is the only public action that Can Grenfell has done concerning the SSG/SPCK Chaos. Simon Kingston and Haley Dosser are part of SPCK. Now look at the figures below.

Full words are:
21. Other contingent and unliquidated claims of every nature, including tax refunds, counterclaims of the debtor, and rights to setoff claims. Give estimated value of each.
Claims against Joanne Grenfell, Haley Dossor, Simon Kingston, SPCK ($6mm); claims against SPCK ($500,000); Cambridge theft loss claim ($49,000); Bristol fire loss ($10,000)

SPCK as an organisation are bing sued for half a million dollars. Three indivdiauls are being sued for six million dollars between them. What are Mark Brewer and SSG on?

Yes Simon Kingston and SPCK made mistakes - but to be sued for $6 Million Dollars? As one staff member I quoted here says - these people (SSG)are evil. Actually I think evil is an understatement! As my mood with this post says - I am enraged that the Brewers are attempting to bully Simon Kingston and others this way.
  • Mood: enraged

Tags:

I owe me how much? -

  • Aug. 12th, 2008 at 1:19 PM

Looking through the paperwork from the so called Bankruptcy case involving St Stepehn the Great, and more particularly SSG Ltd we have the following conundrum. J Mark Brewer is chair of the trustees of St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust - a body that has the same charity and business number as SSG Ltd that he is trying to make bankrupt through the US Courts. J Mark Brewer is also a director of ENC Shop Management, Chichester Shop Management Company and Durham Cathedral Shop Management Company. J Mark Brewer is a partner in Brewer and Pritchard P.C. Brewer and Pritchard's address is 3 Riverway, Suite 1800, Houston. So is a strange charity called Orthodox Christian Mission Fund. Do a Google search and there is no listing for this - but you do find an article on Spruce Island where Mark Brewer is looking for "missionaries" to come over and help run the shops (http://saintherman.blogspot.com/2007/01/orthodox-missionaries-needed-in-england.html). This was in 2007 and no they never came. So Mark Brewer is also behind the Orthodox Christian Mission Fund - is this the new name for St Stephen the Great Trust in the US after they were caught out by the Church Times and others over their bigotry?

According to the documents given to the courts in Houston Texas, SSG Ltd owes Brewer and Pritchard $56,694.98 and owes Orthodox Christian Mission Fund $494,097.55. If we add the $75,000 retainer Mark Brewer has agreed to Mark Brewer, as trustee of SSG Ltd owes himself, or his own comapnies, $625,792.53. Also who is the Aaron Brewer that was paid $2956.24. Is this the son training for ministry? Why is he listed and what for? 

Brewer Pitchard has already been paid $111,092.36 while Orthodox Christian Mission Fund (Mark Brewer?) has been paid $75,338.07


On the wider issue SSG are sueing Simon Kingston (General Secretary of SPCK), Haley Dosser (Vice Chair of SPCK) and Joanne Grenfell (Sheffield Diocese) for $6,000,000. What has Canon Grenfell done? Released a statement explaining that Sheffield Cathedral are not the landlords of the Sheffield SPCK shop.

Also rumours are reaching my ears that the Brewer's may be offering a shop in the South as a franchise. When I know more I will let you know.

  • Mood: annoyed

Tags:

Sheffield Shop

  • Aug. 9th, 2008 at 11:06 AM

Got this news from Sheffield through from a contact yesterday. 

Just a short note to let you know that the Brewers have been locked out of the Sheffield shop and that Phil Brewer is very angry with the landlords for changing the locks. Apparently rent has not been paid for quite some time.

Now how did the Brewer's forget to pay the rent? Or are they still confused about who own the building? Remember earlier this year Sheffield Cathedral spoke out against the Brewers. Mark Brewer spoke out against the Cathedral and Diocese (mixing the relationship between the two) calling them anti-Orthodox. Could the rent have not been paid because Mark Brewer wants to hit back at the Cathedral, mistakingly believing them to be the landlords of the property, because they are anti-Orthodox even when an Orthodox congregation meets in the Cathderal for worship once a month. Until Mark Brewer wants to be honest with us I doubt we will get an answer.

  • Mood: curious

Tags:

How succesful?

  • Aug. 3rd, 2008 at 12:06 PM
 One of the ongoing claims from St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust was that all 22 shops were running at a profit, that trade was thriving.  Mark Brewer sent this comment to Phil Groom on 3rd Jan2008

"I totally disagree that the shops have not suffered under Saint Stephen the Great. Whether or not you feel otherwise, the facts are strongly to the contrary: the Truro shop and all the 22 other shops SSG acquired in 2006 have continued to be in operation and their trading is thriving."

Firstly notice the use of the double negative - disagree and not. This gramatically makes Mark Brewer agree that the shops have suffered. Also ENC Shop Management Company, Durham Cathedral Shop Management Company and Chichester Shop Management Company would be created two months later. The directors of the new companies are Mark Brewer and Sandra Brewer (the same people who are trustees of St Stephen the Great(SSG)) and Phil Brewer (the chairman of St Stephen the Great). If SSG's trade was thriving why set up three other companies to run what one company was doing so soon or did the economic down turn have such a profound effect?

Also staff were already leaving with nervous breakdowns. Shops were unable to order stock for the shop as bills had not been paid. And a month later staff started being sacked by email. Some shops have not been open since. So much for thriving.

But Mark Brewer and SSG goes on. A press release from SSG to the Carlisle News and Star states the following:

Most of the shops have thrived under the management of two Texan brothers, Mark and Phil Brewer, who run SSG, said the statement, and the worst is now over. The charity continues to look for innovative ways to sell Christian books.

So Carlisle, Canterbury, Cambridge and Norwich are now closed (staff sacked by email). Truro, Cardiff, Bradford and Newcastle have gone the same way. London will soon close. Most shops that are open are being run on a casual basis by agency staff. Three new companies were started a 22 days before. And the shops have thrived?  The worst is over?

Then we get this at the start of June:

SSG (St Stephen the Great - limited liability company) has been terminated as the trading company to operate the bookshops formerly known as SPCK Bookshops. Additionally, SSGLLC has been placed into reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. SSG-LLC is not authorized to employ any person or incur any debt. With immediate effect, SSG-LLC payroll, redundancy and other such obligations will only be payable through the bankruptcy court. SSG-LLC employees of record as of 4 June 2008 will receive further notification directly from the bankruptcy court about how to submit a claim. The bookshops will now be operated by ENC Management Company. Former employees of SSG-LLC are invited to apply for a position with ENC Management Company. If you wish to apply, please reply to this email so indicating.

SSG LLC had the same charity number as St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust. So is the same charity. The trustees of a UK charity that they are trying to make bankrupt through a US Court, hand over the running of the shops to a new set of shop management companies that they started three months previously - two of which with the specific aim of running an individual shop. The trustee of the bankruptcy court in the USA has actually asked the court to dismiss the bankruptcy case as illegal, because a UK charity can not be made bankrupt in the US and there is no evidence that SSG LLC existed as anything but a name made up by St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust. Oh yes there were also major problems with the paperwork, the vast majority of creditors were in the UK and were unlikely to chase the debts, and Mark Brewer (of BP Law http://bplaw.com/) chair of SSG offered to advise himself for an amount equal to 75% of the asssets declared on the paperwork. 

So how succesful is St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust and their bookshops? According to Mark Brewer as of April they were thriving. The evidence suggests otherwise. If you look at Mark Brewers biography page on the BP Law site (http://bplaw.com/index.cfm/MenuItemID/119.htm) you will see that he is a business lawyer. So why the issues?

  • Mood: confused

Tags:

Are you Dave Walker? - pt 17

  • Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 4:19 PM
 This starts with what is in many ways the most tragic of all the posts that Dave and others had to deal with.

June 27th, 2008

SPCK / SSG: Tragic news from Worcester

There is some tragic news from the Worcester Diocese. This note was sent out today to clergy

within the Diocese by the Communications department:

I am very sorry to tell you that Steve Jeynes, has been found dead, apparently having

taken his own life. Many of you will know him from his work at the SSGT (ex-SPCK)

shop in Worcester, from where he was made redundant two weeks ago.

Please hold (the) family in your prayers, together with the many friends whose lives

have been enriched through Steve's loving generosity in serving the Lord.

Details of the funeral arrangements will be made available in due course.

Doug Chaplain has posted here:

In Worcester the SSG / SPCK saga turns to tragedy

Please remember Steve's family, friends and all affected in your prayers.

Update:

pm at All Saints' Church, Deansway, Worcester. The Thanksgiving Service has been moved from

All Saints' Church to the Cathedral at 3.30pm on Monday 7th July followed by refreshments at

Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Further tributes have been posted

Posted by Dave at 5:53 pm on June 27, 2008 and filed under

64 Comments

A service of Thanksgiving for Steve's life will take place on Monday 7 July 2008 at 3:30here and here.Save the SPCK, Religion.

SPCK / SSG bookshop news

A couple of things:

New website

Phil Groom has set up a new group blog on the subject of the former SPCK shops. It is here:

SSG: News, Notes & Info

and/or subscribe to the feed. I do intend to continue writing on the subject on this blog, but during

July and August in particular I will have very little (if any) time to devote to writing on the topic

owing to my preparation for and participation in the Lambeth conference and being away from

home for various other reasons.

If there is anyone who would like to contribute to the new site please contact Phil directly.

SPCK/. If you're interested in SPCK/ SSG updates please bookmark this site

Staff pay

An update to my last post - some staff have now been paid. I have made an update to my last post to

reflect this and will update again if it emerges that all staff have now been paid.

News reports

Bookseller:

SSG tribunal claims mount

Chester Chronicle:

Union action to support sacked Chester bookshop workers

Lincolnshire Echo:

'Sacked' shop staff in court action

Posted by Dave at 9:09 am on June 27, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion.

3 Comments

July 3rd, 2008

Memorial service for Steve Jeynes

The memorial service for Steve Jeynes is now to be held at Worcester

Cathedral at 3.30pm on Monday 7th July, followed by refreshments at

Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

There is a

Worcester Standard.

to bookseller's memorial

news item in the Worcester News today, and another in theUpdate: Also Worcester News: Hundreds expected

Many tributes have been left in the comments of

other sites linked from there.

Image: the former SPCK shop in Worcester

Posted by Dave at 7:57 am on July 3, 2008 and filed under

my previous post and onSave the SPCK.

No Comments

July 8th, 2008

My silence

I've been aware that this has been a sad week for many readers of the Cartoon Blog. Many of those

visiting have been mourning the death of Steve Jeynes, the Worcester bookseller, who, judging from

the comments

write on this site has not seemed appropriate, hence my silence.

The memorial service for Steve Jeynes took place yesterday. The Worcester News has a report:

posted on this site was loved by many. In the circumstances the usual nonsense that I

Tributes paid to exceptional man

SPCK/SSG blog:

This will be one of the last former-SPCK-related posts that I expect to do until September as I am

away doing one thing and another. I have one more bookshop-related thing that I need to post about

which has arisen as a result of a comment (not yet visible) on this site on Sunday morning. I will

hopefully do that post today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday).

The place to go for former-SPCK-related posts for the next month or two is

Notes & Info

Bookshop in Cardiff

I hope to post a bit more on this blog this week, including an announcement about my new book

and plans for Lambeth.

Posted by Dave at 1:06 am on July 8, 2008 and filed under

. Doug Chaplain was there and has written about it. See also on theSteve Jeynes: A Life Remembered.SPCK/SSG: News,. [Aside to Phil: hopefully you will post Plans Coming Together for New Christianon the SSG/SPCK site when the time is right - a post well worth sharing.]Blogging, Save the SPCK.

5 Comments

 

It is disgusting that umongst the posts that Mark Brewer wanted removed were the ones that acted as a memorial for Steve Jeynes.

Are you Dave Walker? - pt 16

  • Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 4:17 PM

June 19th, 2008

Website updates

 

have been updated. Some, like Salisbury (above - thanks to ezlxq), are on very limited hours and

appear to be relying on voluntary labour. I'm aware that I need to keep updating the shop roundup

page - updates appreciated.

The entry for the

because there is no resource to view - I am informed that a removal firm packed up all the books,

fixtures and fittings and was taking them to the Chichester shop today.

Meanwhile the

( Thursday, 19 June 2008 )

I have updated the

SPCK shops.

The SPCKonline website is now the same as the Third Space books website. Details of most shopsNorwich shop says 'You are not authorised to view this resource'. That is probablySt Stephen the Great LLC website has been updated today "Last Updated", but there is still no mention of the 'bankruptcy'.Church Times blog with a list of news reports and letters about the former

Melanie

bookshop blog.

Posted by Dave at 5:43 pm on June 19, 2008 and filed under

, the former manager of the SPCKonline site has written an interesting comment on Phil'sSave the SPCK, Religion.

5 Comments

 

June 20th, 2008

Today's former SPCK bookshop news

From the Chester Chronicle:

Christian bookshop sacks staff by e-mail

From the Eastern Daily Press:

Christian bookshop stripped of stock

From the comments below:

The article in the Eastern Daily Press concerning the Norwich shop mentions three

potential future tenants.

One of the bids is from the Norwich Christian Resource Centre, a new Community

Interest Company with six directors from various denominations, all with a wealth of

business experience.

They are giving their time and talents free of charge and are all passionate to reestablish

the centre that had become such an integral part of the community of Norfolk

and beyond, as quoted in the article.

The company would run as a non-profit making business and strive to return the centre

to it's original ethos, offering the widest breadth of stock, knowledgable staff, a high

level of customer service and the 'best capuccino in town'.

Prayers for this venture very welcome.

Also, from the

My daughter applied for holiday work via an agency in Newcastle and took up a job in

the Newcastle shop - we were completely unaware of the situation. She is expected to

work completely on her own for 6 hours a day several days a week, somebody else does

the other days - both are temps, no permanent staff, no training or guidance. She has

creditors and people chasing book orders ringing up but no information to be able to

respond to them. She is employed and paid by the agency (that is the theory anyway,

will be interesting to find out what happens on payday!) If we had known about the

situation we would not have got into this, but the agency were not very forthcoming

with details about the shop until it was virtually too late…. So Newcastle is open - after

a fashion, but far from satisfactory situation.

comments yesterday, this by 'concerned dad':

Update

about the blog idea later or over the weekend.)

Posted by Dave at 8:18 am on June 20, 2008 and filed under

(lunchtime) Phil Groom has posted: SPCK/SSG News Archives. (I'll try to say somethingSave the SPCK, Religion.

6 Comments


Christopher Howse:

The bare and desolate SPCK bookshops

Posted by Dave at 9:57 am on June 21, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion.

5 Comments



Usdaw fights for mistreated bookshop workers

Shopworkers' union, Usdaw, has submitted 15 employment tribunal claims against the

Brewers, US-based brothers who have taken over a chain of UK bookshops and were

seeking to impose a new contract on staff, drastically reducing their contractual rights.

The Union has over 50 members at the bookshops and is expecting that the number of

employment tribunal claims will rise.

The Brewer brothers were gifted the St. Stephen the Great Christian bookshops in 2006

by SPCK. The chain includes 23 bookshops, many of which are historic buildings in

prime retail positions.

Following the change of ownership, a new contract was drawn up increasing the

working week from 37.5 to 40 hours with no additional pay, turning all part-time staff

into casual staff with no guaranteed hours every week and taking away all rights to

company sick pay.

Now, virtually all Usdaw members have been dismissed with no notice, some by email,

and have received little or no information about what this means for their rights and

their pay.

The Brewer brothers have now filed St. Stephen the Great for bankruptcy in the US.

Usdaw firmly believes that the bankruptcy proceedings in the US have no effect in the

UK, because this is a UK company with entirely UK-based assets and activities. Staff

have been told that they can apply for jobs with ENC Management Company, which is

also owned by the Brewers, but that they no longer have jobs with St. Stephen the

Great.

Usdaw is also aware that the Charity Commission has been alerted to these actions

because of its role in regulating the activities of the linked charity, St. Stephen the Great

Charitable Trust.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, stated:

"It is clear that staff, many of whom have been long standing loyal workers, have been

mistreated and many are understandably very upset and concerned. We are very

concerned at a new company (ENC Management Company) being set up in these

circumstances, while our members are losing their jobs. These loyal staff are being

given misleading information about these US bankruptcy proceedings and the effects

this may have on their rights to take legal action in the UK. Our fear is that the Brewers'

actions may be an attempt to move assets away from the business and out of the reach

of our members with legitimate claims.

"We will carry on as before with the claims against the Brewers who are accumulating

wealth whilst riding roughshod over hard working employees. We will continue to assist

all our members affected by this messy situation and work to rectify it as soon as

possible."

Ends

St. Stephen the Great shops at which Usdaw members are affected:

§ Cambridge

§ Carlisle

§ Chester

§ Exeter

§ Lincoln

§ Newcastle

§ Norwich

§ Sheffield

§ Worcester

§ York

Usdaw is the

Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers

Update:

bookshop workers

This press release is now available via the Usdaw website: Usdaw fights for mistreated

Posted by Dave at 8:13 am on June 24, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion.

34 Comments


Bankruptcy papers received

Some people in the UK have been receiving papers relating to the SSG 'bankruptcy' from the US

Bankruptcy Court of the District of Southern District of Texas. There will apparently be a 'meeting

of creditors' on 22 July in Houston.

Having done a quick search I notice that there was, on 18 June a 'status conference' for St Stephen

the Great LLC in the bankruptcy court (this can be found on a cached Google page saved

Information on the chapter 11 bankruptcy process can be found via this page:

Bankruptcy Basics

here).Chapter 11 -

All of this must be seen in the light of

website

Usdaw firmly believes that the bankruptcy proceedings in the US have no effect in the

UK, because this is a UK company with entirely UK-based assets and activities.

Also, from John Hannett, the General Secretary of Usdaw:

These loyal staff are being given misleading information about these US bankruptcy

proceedings and the effects this may have on their rights to take legal action in the UK.

Our fear is that the Brewers' actions may be an attempt to move assets away from the

business and out of the reach of our members with legitimate claims.

"We will carry on as before with the claims against the Brewers who are accumulating

wealth whilst riding roughshod over hard working employees. We will continue to assist

all our members affected by this messy situation and work to rectify it as soon as

possible."

Usdaw's statement yesterday, now available on the Usdaw:

Employees not paid

On a related note some (all?) of the people who work or worked in the shops have not been paid

today (the 25th) as they would usually be. See for instance

employees have now been paid]

these blog comments. [Update: some

Telegraph blog post

Christopher Howse (who wrote Saturday's

the Orthodox church in Poole:

information, but I thought I'd post the link anyway.

Posted by Dave at 3:05 pm on June 25, 2008 and filed under

comment piece) has written on his Telegraph blog aboutOrthodox Exodus. As others have pointed out this isn't newSave the SPCK, Religion.

13 Comments

 

June 25th, 2008

SSG: Bankruptcy papers received, employees

not paid

 

June 24th, 2008

Usdaw press release about the former SPCK

shops

 

June 21st, 2008

Former SPCK bookshops in the Telegraph

Are you Dave Walker? - pt 15

  • Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 4:11 PM
 

SSG files for bankruptcy

[Post updated Friday lunchtime]

SSG (St Stephen the Great), owners of the former SPCK chain of bookshops have filed for

bankruptcy.

The following e-mail was sent to most if not all of the former SPCK shops by Mark Brewer:

SSG (St Stephen the Great - limited liability company) has been terminated as the

trading company to operate the bookshops formerly known as SPCK Bookshops.

Additionally, SSG-LLC has been placed into reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

SSG-LLC is not authorized to employ any person or incur any debt. With immediate

effect, SSG-LLC payroll, redundancy and other such obligations will only be payable

through the bankruptcy court. SSG-LLC employees of record as of 4 June 2008 will

receive further notification directly from the bankruptcy court about how to submit a

claim.

The bookshops will now be operated by ENC Management Company. Former

employees of SSG-LLC are invited to apply for a position with ENC Management

Company. If you wish to apply, please reply to this email so indicating.

The following message is being returned when e-mail is sent to the spckonline 'vendor accounts'

address.

SSG (St Stephen the Great), the charitable trading company conducting

business at the former SPCK Bookshops, has filed for protection from

its creditors under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in

Houston, Texas.

The case number is 08-33689-H1 11.

This case is recorded in England and accordingly, all adverse actions

and all actions in either the U.S. or the U.K. purporting to affect

the property or rights or liabilities of SSG are prohibited in

accordance with the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy

Code. Similarly, efforts to collect an alleged debt from SSG are

subject to the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Saint Stephen the Great LLC

I have been told that a number of suppliers are owed significant sums of money.

New companies have been set up to run the shops. The Durham Shop is now 'Durham Cathedral

Shop Management Co', Chichester is 'Chichester Shop Management Co' (both can be found on the

Companies House website). An e-mail from Phil Brewer to one of the shops said that the shops are

now run by '

Phil Groom sent me this via the comments on my backup site (Thanks Phil):

Anne, one of my respondents, says:

'… Chapter 11 bankruptcy is often considered a "milder" form of bankruptcy than other

filing methods that are available. It generally signals that a business wants protection

from its creditors while re-organizing itself, working out payment methods, and so

forth. It also often means that the people operating the business intend for it to continue

to exist. More severe forms involve the shutting down of a business and the liquidation

of its remaining assets to pay off creditors.'

(Thanks to Phelim for the tip about the 'vendor accounts' e-mail.)

Posted by Dave at 9:34 am on June 6, 2008 and filed under

ENC management company'.Save the SPCK, Religion.

8 Comments

The first former SPCK bookshop employment tribunal case was

Sheffield Employment Tribunal. The case, Alison Speddings vs Mark Brewer, was adjourned. I

understand that this was because of the 'bankruptcy' situation. Neither of the Brewers were in

attendance.

I spoke to Alison on the phone a short time ago. She thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

Posted by Dave at 4:01 pm on June 9, 2008 and filed under

due to take place today at theSave the SPCK, Religion.

3 Comments



asks whether their bankruptcy claim iscommenter on Phil Groom's site says that the new company ENC Management 'consists of thetribunal case begins today in Sheffield. All best wishes toSave the SPCK, Religion.

31 Comments

I was interested to find out about the 'ENC Management company', the company operating most of

the former SPCK bookshops. I looked them up on the Companies House website, along with the

new companies for the Durham Cathedral and Chichester shops. The name given on the Companies

House site is the 'ENC SHOP MANAGEMENT CO.'

Here are the company 'appointments':

ENC SHOP MANAGEMENT CO.

Company Number: FC028292

SECRETARY: BREWER, SANDRA K

DIRECTOR: BREWER, J MARK

DIRECTOR: BREWER, PHILIP W

DURHAM CATHEDERAL SHOP MANAGEMENT CO.

Company Number: FC028290

SECRETARY: BREWER, SANDRA K

DIRECTOR: BREWER, J MARK

DIRECTOR: BREWER, PHILIP W

CHICHESTER SHOP MANAGEMENT CO.

Company Number: FC028291

SECRETARY: BREWER, SANDRA K

DIRECTOR: BREWER, J MARK

DIRECTOR: BREWER, PHILIP W

For comparison, the 'bankrupt' Saint Stephen the Great:

SAINT STEPHEN THE GREAT

Company Number: 06110519

DIRECTOR: BREWER, JOHN MARK

DIRECTOR: BREWER, KAREN ELLEN

DIRECTOR: BREWER, SANDRA KAY

It is, quite blatantly the same people.

Dyfrig made some really useful extra points on my site before it died mid-morning. Here are some

of them:

The company that's filed for bankruptcy in the US is SSG-LLC. The first thing to note is

that companies go bankrupt in America – in the UK, individuals go bankrupt,

companies go into liquidation. The Chapter 11 filing protects the American company in

America and under any contracts with people or bodies outside America which are

expressed to be under American law. So only if an SPCK worker's contract is expressed

to be with SSG-LLC will that person be affected by the change in employment. …

In order to trade in England & Wales, an organisation must either be a limited company

(this includes charities that are limited by guarantee) or a limited liability partnership (it

could be an unlimited partnership, but this is unlikely). Overseas companies therefore

normally create a company in England & Wales. Saint Stephen the Great is a registered

company in Poole. As at today, June 10th, it is neither in adminstration nor liquidation.

Just because SSG-LLC is in bankruptcy in the US doesn't mean that SSG Ltd in Poole is

subject to the same protection, because it's a separate legal entity from SSG-LLC.Save the SPCK, Religion.

 

Also:

On the whole St Stephen the Great Ltd / SSG-LLC issue, there is indeed only one

company with that name registered in England & Wales, and that company is NOT in

administration according to Companies House. Something called SSG LLC may have

applied for Chapter 11 in the States, but I'm not clear how that can apply to an Englishregistered

company. (ENC is actually registered with an "FC" number, which means it's

a foreign company - perhaps ENC has been registered in England and THEN gone into

Chapter 11 in the States?).

The Trust's website purports that there is a company called Saint Stephen the Great

LLC, but that is incorrect, as companies is England & Wales cannot have that suffix -

they must carry "Ltd" (or "Cyf"). The Trust may hold itself out as "SSG LLC" but that

is not its identity and the legally registered company is Saint Stephen the Great Ltd, a

company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.

Posted by Dave at 9:00 pm on June 10, 2008 and filed under

17 Comments



I have been attempting to update my

whether I am being accurate.

In the last few days I have been told that the following shops have been closed, but some of these

closures might be temporary:

SPCK bookshop roundup page. Please take a look and tell me

•

Chester (Local news report: Christian bookshop closes in Chester city centre)

•

Exeter (Notice on door says it is due to reopen - photo above)

•

Newcastle

•

Salisbury Now open again

•

Worcester

•

Posted by Dave at 6:11 pm on June 11, 2008 and filed under

YorkSave the SPCK, Religion.

19 Comments


News reports

•

From today's Church Times: Ex-SPCK shops 'bankruptcy'

•

Great files for bankruptcy

The Bookseller says that the Charity Commission is to investigate SSG: St Stephen the

•

nothing there as far as I can see. I thought there might be as I was telephoned.)

I think the Church of England Newspaper will have a report (Just opened my online copy -

Closures and openings

•

Birmingham, Canterbury, Chester, Exeter, Newcastle, Norwich (closing on June 14)

Worcester, York. These may be temporary or permanent.

We think that the shops that have closed since the bankruptcy announcement are:

•

Salisbury is now open again.

•

I'm still attempting to maintain a complete list here.

New map

•

On the Third Space books site (Is Third Space books bankrupt or not? Not sure.) a new map

of the SSG shops appeared on June 7. Bristol, Carlisle, Lincoln and London have been taken

off. Cardiff remains. 'Leichester' (not on the

Posted by Dave at 8:20 am on June 13, 2008 and filed under

old map) has been added.Save the SPCK, Religion.

11 Comments

Norwich

Network Norwich has the following:

Norwich Christian bookshop closes its doors

Meanwhile, from the

In 2003 I was taken to a city centre deconsecrated church by Stephen Platten, then Dean

of Norwich. We both thought how splendid it would be to relocate the SPCK Bookshop,

it's decrepid premises huddling in a side street, to this magnificent medieval building.

In January of the next year Bishop Graham James officially blessed the vision along

with representatives from virtually every denomination.

After many trials and tribulations and delays of several months, the centre opened on 13

July 2004. I had been privileged to help plan the layout and the concept.

Over 180 people attended the rededictation of the church to it's new use in on a Friday

morning in October 2004!

Within 3 years the loyal team had doubled the turnover of the previous shop and

provided access to thousands of visitors from the Christian faith or none, to be offered

an exceptionally broad range of product, a place to meet and be refreshed in the cafe.

We held events on a monthly basis. Highlights included: a lecture by Bishop Tom

Wright attended by 350 plus, an Advent evening with Ronald Blythe during which three

Salvation Army bandsmen managed to ascend the spiral staircase complete with

trombone and play from the balcony, debates between bishops and humanists; Professor

Brian Thorne and Ian Gibson MP and a Fawlty Towers evening!

This morning I visited the centre with my two sons, on the last day of trading. It was in

fact open after 11-00.

To describe it as semi-vandalised would not be overstating the sight of half-empty boxes

relocated from the London shop several weeks ago still blocking the porch and what is

left of the stock lurching across the shelves.

Visiting the church on a regular basis over the past months I have been moved from

frustration, to anger, to sadness, to disbelief as to how such a thiving resource could be

laid to seed.

Today is a very sad day for the ex-staff, all but one of whom have yet to find new

employment and the Christian community, who are voicing that 'their' centre has been

lost - a high compliment indeed.

I count myself blessed to have been offered an alternative position within the Christian

retail environment and have thus stayed in touch with so many of my customers who

had become friends.

However, it's never over until the Canary sings as we say in Narwich, so please keep

praying for an unlikely resurrection in the not too distant future.

'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it'

comments section of this blog:

York

'Richard and Gill' on Flickr have

Meanwhile, I found

working in the York shop. Google translated it as follows:

I should be very fortunate, at least in this area to work, to York the second week, it

began a career Part-time job. However, this is not so much a subjective initiative, I

found, than to use a blind cat encountered more aptly described as dead mice. At that

time, purely in the City Centre Luancuan, Okay, I admit that, in fact, I had lost. The

results of the accidents that have been in SPCK work.

This is one in the entire United Kingdom has 28 Chain stores of the Christian

Bookshop, a harmonious working atmosphere, have fixed the breakfast 11am and 3pm

the afternoon tea time and all the break are paid. However, however, however, but,

boom is not long, SPCK be acquired. A U.S. company called SSG took over the

bookstore this. British indeed are born of hatred of Americans, the shop all the old staff

have left, but Fortunately, the Manager of new people is pretty good. I want to go to the

SSG, also by the nature of the work before the development of a simple cashier to

accountant, gradually began to contact the bank's work. Sense of accomplishment that is

not an ordinary Youranersheng ah.

Boom is not really long, SSG recently went bankrupt, another bookstore was an

American company take over. David and Olga have left, I left the bookstore on the

people. Optimistic, I am now boss hey. Pessimistic, I really do not know Bookstore will

close on this, I have on unemployment.

SPCK in the UK with my life is inseparable from, I Baijia all have come from the

capital where wages. However, it also sacrificed a lot with my family Dear Amanda

travel out of time. Switzerland, Rome, Prague, Barcelona, Fuluolunsa I have no time to.

My dear SPCK, you can see in my youth to take all the copies to you, will not be so

quick to close OK. You, and so I kept enough money to the United States, Greece, the

Netherlands, Sweden, the Arctic Circle, and so I kept enough money to buy Chanel,

Dior, Fendi, Prada to the temporary close it, but I travel back and so on, then opened the

door for ah

This might or might not mean that the York shop is open.

Posted by Dave at 11:28 am on June 18, 2008 and filed under

a recent picture of the former SPCK shop in York.this blog post written in Chinese on June 16. It sounds as if it is by someoneSave the SPCK.

3 Comments

 

June 18th, 2008

Norwich / York

 

June 13th, 2008

Charity Commission to investigate SSG

 

June 11th, 2008

Former SPCK bookshop closures

 

June 10th, 2008

Who are the 'ENC Management company'?

 

Former SPCK shops: Is SSG's 'bankruptcy'

legitimate?

The fallout from SSG's 'bankruptcy' continues. Phil Groom

legitimate.

A

Brewer brothers and one of their wives'. Also 'the two independent shops have been told to deposit

takings in a new bank account in the name of Saint Stephen the Great Charitable Trust'.

Phil asks whether 'filing for bankruptcy in the USA can, in any case, apply to SSG as a UK

registered charity'. A good question.

If I have the date right Alison Speddings'

you Alison.

The Chester shop is closed (above). I am also told that the Newcastle shop is closed. Please update

me as to the status of any others.

If you can help get the word out about this then please do. The world needs to hear.

[Thanks to Peter for the photo]

Posted by Dave at 11:28 am on June 9, 2008 and filed under

 

June 9th, 2008

Former SPCK bookshop tribunal adjourned

Are you Dave Walker? - 14

  • Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 4:08 PM

April 21st, 2008

SSG sells four shops

Bradford, Canterbury, Exeter and York to close

Four SPCK shop buildings owned by St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust are up for sale:

Bradford

Canterbury

Exeter

York

These were gifted to SSG by SPCK on 31 October 2006 along with fixtures and fittings and stock.

The net book value given to the properties in the

The shops will be sold at auction in London by Colliers CRE on 13th May 2008.

I have been told that SSG also hold the freehold to the Truro shop, but I need clarification on that

point. If so it will be the only shop building still owned by SSG if and when the sales of the other

properties go through.

The other shops are all rented or, in the case of 6 shops, owned by SPCK but subject to a 7 year

covenant. Details of the status of the various shops

News reports:

2007 SPCK Annual Report was £1.665 million.can be found here.

•

The Bookseller: SSG to sell four shops

Cardiff

On a happier note - there are plans to open a new shop in place of the former SPCK in Cardiff.

Details here

.

London

I can confirm that the London shop at Faith House, Tufton Street, Westminster closed on 11th April

2008.

To find all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this site see the

Posted by Dave at 10:01 am on April 21, 2008 and filed under

This post on the subject has been updated with pictures.Save the SPCK category.Save the SPCK, Religion.

11 Comments

April 23rd, 2008

St Pauls to open shop in York

PRESS RELEASE - for immediate release.

ST PAULS is delighted to announce they are to open a shop in York.

The shop at 5 King's Square, in the heart of the shopping centre of York, is a short walk from York

Minster and the Shrine of St Margaret Clitherow on the famous Shambles.

Covering 2,000+ square feet, it will stock a full range of books, devotional articles, church

furnishings, vestments, Christian cards, gifts, audio/visual material etc..

It will also contain a second-hand religious book department - itself a new venture for ST PAULS.

The shop will open in September and will be a valuable addition to their shops in London,

Birmingham, Leeds, Hinsley Hall and Athlone (Ireland).

This will make ST PAULS the largest chain of Catholic bookshops in the country.

Stephen Moseling, Operations Co-ordinator for ST PAULS said:

"At this time of change and uncertainty within the Christian publishing and retail trades, with shops

from various denominations closing, it is very exciting for us at ST PAULS to be opening a shop in

York. Over the past 18 months many Christian publishers have expressed concerns about the future

of Christian retail, but with the opening of our shop in York my hope is that we can reassure them,

and the public, that ST PAULS is determined to keep a Christian presence on the High Street. As in

all our shops, we will be at the service of Christians of all denominations and we ask for their

support and prayers at this exciting time."

ST PAULS is an activity of the Society of St Paul, a worldwide religious congregation of priests

and brothers whose apostolate is to proclaim the Gospel through the various means of

communication. See www.stpauls.it

Further information may be obtained from Stephen Moseling at the above address or via email

stephen (at) stpauls.org.uk

Links:

St Pauls UK

Società San Paolo

Posted by Dave at 2:40 pm on April 23, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion,

Christian bookshops

.

4 Comments

 

Former SPCK staff gathering

A gathering of former SPCK bookshop staff is being organised. It will be at 2 pm on Wednesday

14th May at

to 10 minute walk from Sandown Park where the

place. Publishers reps are welcome to come and say hello. Some members of the press have been

invited, but there is no compulsion to speak to them.

Phelim McIntyre, a regular contributor to the comments here, is organising it and I believe still has

some free CRE tickets. You can e-mail him on phelimmcintyre (at) hotmail.com - I'm sure he will

respond to questions left in the comments as well.

I'm planning to be there. As an aside - please note that the telephone number that I have posted on

this site is no longer working. The answerphone still works, but I can't get the messages. It isn't

anything to do with the fact I have lost the phone or anything embarrassing like that.

Posted by Dave at 10:46 am on April 23, 2008 and filed under

the SPCK

The Bear public house, 71 High Street, Esher, London, Surrey, KT10 9RQ. This is a 5Christian Resources Exhibition will be takingFestivals and Exhibitions, Save.

22 Comments


Church Times:

Former SPCK shops to be auctioned

Update:

14 North Parade

7 St Peter's Street

1-2 Catherine Street, Cathedral Yard

28 Goodramgate

Posted by Dave at 11:17 pm on April 24, 2008 and filed under

Guide prices for the four shops for sale have now been posted on the Colliers CRE site.Bradford Guide Price: £150,000Canterbury Guide Price: £520,000Exeter Guide Price: £500,000York Guide Price: £320,000Save the SPCK, Religion.

18 Comments

Church Times Letters

This week's Church Times has

'

the Westminster premises (

This bookshop is leased by the Society of the Faith to the SPCK. Some months ago, we

were asked to consider an assignment of that lease to St Stephen the Great (SSG). We

made considerable efforts to obtain appropriate and satisfactory information about

SSG's finances and management structure, but, in the end, our trustees had to consider

the proposed assignment without any reassuring material. They turned down the

application, and the SPCK then decided to surrender the lease on the break date

provided for in the lease, which happens to be this May.

Mrs Roberts says that my report 'may have been misleading', but I'm not quite sure what she means

by this. I said in the report that "The Westminster bookshop at Faith House was closed on 11 April",

but I didn't go into any further detail apart from a sentence or two about the rare books side of

things.

several letters that relate to my news item from last week's paper,Former SPCK shops to be auctioned'. An extract from the letter from Mrs Margery Roberts aboutclick through for the whole thing):

Shops are withdrawn from auction

The four shops

from the auction (Thomas mentioned this

have been withdrawn because there are covenants in the deeds which restrict the use of the

buildings in some way. The shops, in Bradford, Canterbury, Exeter, and York are apparently still for

sale.

Posted by Dave at 10:04 am on May 7, 2008 and filed under

due to be auctioned by Colliers CRE in London on 13 May have been withdrawnin the comments last week). I understand that the shopsSave the SPCK, Religion.

7 Comments


From last week's Church Times:

reasons that the four shops that were to have been auctioned this week were withdrawn from the

sale:

There are thought to be two reasons for the halt. One is that the transfer of ownership to

SSG has not been completed. The other is that the Brewer brothers, who run SSG, have

been reminded of a seven-year restrictive covenant that accompanied the transfer of all

the freeholds from SPCK in October 2006. This states that the shops can be used only as

Christian multi-denominational bookshops. The covenant would apply to any

prospective purchaser.

As an aside, the Church Times feature from a week or two back about Thomas Bray, the founder of

SPCK is online here:

Bookshops withdrawn from sale. An extract, talking about theLeaven in the Anglican lump

People have written in the comments about a number of the SSG / former SPCK shops: It is

rumoured that Lincoln

It was great to see so many people at the gathering on Wednesday. From my point of view it was

great to meet some of the faces behind the names, and I know others found it useful for a variety of

reasons. Phil Groom

might reopen and that Carlisle might close again.has written about the gathering, as has Phelim McIntyre in the comments

below.

I might go back to the CRE tomorrow, this time to do some drawing. It depends whether I get all of

my work done this evening.

Posted by Dave at 8:23 pm on May 15, 2008 and filed under

SPCK

Festivals and Exhibitions, Save the, Religion.

21 Comments


Christian Marketplace

linked to:

has an article on the former SPCK/ SSG bookshops that I don't think I'veRobust response from Brewer re SSG Bookshops turmoil

The blogger at

wrath to come

Long withdrawing roar is shocked by a visit to a former SPCK shop: Flee from the

Phil Groom

Bookshops — who needs them?

addresses the 'Why shouldn't I buy my books from Amazon?' question: Christian

Posted by Dave at 10:16 am on May 20, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion.

34 Comments

 

May 20th, 2008

Christian bookshops

 

May 15th, 2008

Former SPCK shops must remain Christian

bookshops

 

May 7th, 2008

Former SPCK shops: Church Times letters /

Shops withdrawn from auction

 

April 24th, 2008

Church Times report on former SPCK shops

Are you Dave Walker? - pt 13

  • Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Unlucky 13 - for the staff that is!

 

March 27th, 2008

Bristol, Cardiff and Carlisle SSG / SPCK

shops to close

Several people have posted in the

Cardiff SSG (former SPCK) bookshops.

This from

SPCK Bristol has closed for good. I walked past the shop this lunch time, went up to the

door to read the sign and saw Mr Phil Brewer peering out at me. He waved heartily, I

waved heartily and then I moved on. Rapidly. No point in having a conversation.

Nothing really to say. Well, not that would be constructive. The shop was being packed

up and that's an end to it all in Bristol.

The keys were left with Wesley Owen over the weekend and when Mr Brewer went to

pick them up I gather he mentioned that there was no intention to open up in Bristol

again. That may or may not be true.

What a sad end to nearly 200 years of Christian bookselling by SPCK in Bristol.

I am told that the Cardiff shop is to close on Monday. Cardiff was the only SSG shop in Wales.

comment thread below about the closure of the Bristol andRichard:

Update

March has also been confirmed.

(Thursday 27th 9.30am): The forthcoming closure of the Carlisle shop on Monday the 31st

Update

(Monday 31st): News and Star: Cathedral bookshop to close

Posted by Dave at 2:00 pm on March 27, 2008 and filed under

Save the SPCK, Religion.

41 Comments


An announcement in Winchester Diocesan circular for April 08 ('Ministry' - Resource Pack for

Clergy & Readers) reads:

Winchester Christian Bookshop - I am pleased to advise that the former SPCK

bookshop in Winchester has now become an independent concern operating under the

name of 'Winchester Christian Bookshop'. The owner and manager is Mr Christoph

Jacob, who worked in SPCK for some fourteen years, including a period in Winchester

as Assistant Manager to William Cole. Mr Jacob is keen to operate his shop along the

SPCK practices, but also to make some changes to improve on customer service and to

reconnect with the community. He would be delighted to welcome clergy and lay people

from the Diocese and discuss any specific requirements you may have. His telephone

number is 01962 866617

+Michael Winton

Thanks to James for the tip.

Whether the shop is really independent or whether there is some sort of franchise deal going on

remains to be seen. If anyone has info let us know.

I also remain confused about the status of certain other 'independent' shops - Leicester for instance.

Are they essentially franchises?

In other news - the

rescuing Britain's Christian heritage).

Posted by Dave at 12:25 pm on March 29, 2008 and filed under

OrthodoxNet.com Blog has posted the SSG video (the one where they areSave the SPCK, Religion.

23 Comments


Another article from the News & Star:

Carlisle situation.

In its statement, SSG said that it took over the chain in October 2006 and is now

operated in a highly competitive retail environment.

The company said SPCK had been desperate to rid itself to the entire chain. The chain

was losing hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

Most of the shops have thrived under the management of two Texan brothers, Mark and

Phil Brewer, who run SSG, said the statement, and the worst is now over. The charity

continues to look for innovative ways to sell Christian books.

Posted by Dave at 12:41 pm on April 2, 2008 and filed under

Unholy row erupts over bookshop jobs. This relates to theSave the SPCK, Religion.

7 Comments


1. I have learned that the Cambridge SSG shop is to close and that the building is being let. I

understand that the current rent, £54,000 per year, is the highest of all the shops. The shop

has has 1496 sq feet of sales and storage space and is to be let on the remainder of a lease

that will expire in 2012. The agent is Colliers CRE in Cambridge.

2.

3. Lincolnshire Echo report today - SSG "is looking for churches or similiar organisations

which would donate space for a new branch in the city". I don't have the original article, but

UTB has kindly posted some of it

4. Tomorrows Church Times mentions the Carlisle situation (thanks

the situation may have changed since it went to press.

Posted by Dave at 5:21 pm on April 3, 2008 and filed under

The Bookseller reports that USDAW is preparing 20 SSG tribunal cases.here.Thomas) UnfortunatelySave the SPCK, Religion.

7 Comments


I thought it would be useful to have a definitive list of

the SSG (former SPCK) shops and their current status

along with information about who owns the building

(as that will be the most important factor influencing

the likely future for each shop).

This is the situation

2008

errors here for a few days as the situation is

continually changing. The details I have put here are

no doubt incomplete - it would take a long time to tell

the whole story for each shop but I have tried to

explain the situation concisely. If you can help by

improving or correcting what I've written it would be

much appreciated.

In north to south order (more or less):

as I understand it on 19th June. Please note that there are likely to be some

Newcastle

Building owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year

covenant(1). The shop closed in early June 2008 when SSG LLC

staff they needed to reapply for their jobs with ENC Management Co. As of 19 June the shop was

declared itself bankrupt and told

open

, staffed by temporary agency staff.

Carlisle

The building was rented. The shop

understand that the shop is now

and Chapter of Carlisle Cathedral).

closed on 31st March 2008 was reopened with new staff. Iclosed and that the building has reverted to the landlord (the Dean

Durham

Durham Cathedral bookshop. There was

manager was sacked following negotiations about the possible transfer of the shop. The cathedral new company has now been set up toopen.

Shop building owned by SSG (gifted by SPCK, October 2006)(2). The shop building

was to be sold

but it was later

withdrawn from the sale. The shop closed in early June 2008 when SSG LLC

declared itself bankrupt

Co. It is possible that the shop is now

and told staff they needed to reapply for their jobs with ENC Managementopen, staffed by temporary agency staff.

Bradford

Shop building owned by SSG (gifted by SPCK, October 2006)(2). The shop is currently

owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year covenant(1). The shop closed for a time in early

June 2008 when SSG LLC

jobs with ENC Management Co. There are reports that the shop is now

open. Thedeclared itself bankrupt and told staff they needed to reapply for theiropen two days a week.

Norwich

The building is rented (?). The staff

the cafe at the Norwich shop closed on 2 June and the shop itself

fixtures and fittings have apparently been removed.

were sacked on February 5th and the shop closed. I am told thatclosed on 14 June. The stock and

Leicester

This shop was

arrangement. It has been renamed 'Christian Resources' and has a basic website

currently

said to be independent, but I don't know whether that is the case or the details of thehere. The shop isopen.

Birmingham

The status of this shop has changed several times in the last couple of months. I have heard reports

that this shop

permanent.

closed in early June 2008. It is not known whether this closure is temporary or

Cambridge

The building is rented. The shop building was advertised to

be let and closed in June 2008.

Worcester

Building owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year covenant(1). The staff were sacked on 7th February

and the shop was apparently being run by just the manager. The shop then

when SSG LLC

ENC Management Co. It is not known whether this closure is temporary or permanent.

closed in early June 2008declared itself bankrupt and told staff they needed to reapply for their jobs with

Hereford

Building owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year covenant(1). It has been said in the comments on

this site that this shop is closed, but I have no further information. Another report says that the shop

is now semi-independent. Can anyone confirm this?

Cardiff

The shop

peppercorn rent. The shop

something new - see

set to open at the end of July 2008.

was in the City Church United Reformed Church and SSG had the premises at aclosed permanently on 31st March 2008, but there are plans forthis webpage. I am told that the Churches Together Bookshop in Cardiff looks

Bristol

The original building was

by the shop for the last year had been rented. The shop was

March 2008

sold by SPCK and was not part of the transfer to SSG. The building usedclosed permanently towards the end of.

London

The building was rented. The shop

was closed on Friday 11th April 2008.

Canterbury

Shop building owned by SSG (gifted by SPCK, October 2006)(2). This shop

then

might have

is temporary or permanent.

was to close, but wasreprieved. The shop building was to be sold but it was later withdrawn from the sale. The shopclosed in early June 2008 - confirmation required. It is not known whether this closure

Salisbury

Building owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year covenant(1). As far as I know this shop remains

open

two days a week.

Winchester

Building owned by SPCK, but subject to 7 year covenant(1). The current manager rents the building

from SSG but the shop is now independent in terms of stock etc. The shop is

open.

Chichester

The building is an historic church owned by the Diocese of Chichester. SSG uses it rent free but are

responsible for the upkeep of the fabric of the building. At one point a plan to turn it back into a

church

was mentioned by Mark Brewer. A new company has been set up to run this shop. The shop is open.

Exeter

Shop building owned by SSG (gifted by SPCK, October 2006)(2). The shop made the news in

October 2007 when the

entire staff resigned. The shop building was to be sold but it was later

withdrawn

that this is a temporary state of affairs.

from the sale. On 11th June 2008 the shop was reported as being closed but a notice says

Truro

Shop building possibly owned by SSG (gifted by SPCK, October 2006)(2) or owned by SPCK and

subject to a seven year covenant. I am told that this shop is now semi-independent. The shop is

open

——————————–

.

Notes:

(1) If certain conditions are met the ownership of these buildings

7 years - I make that October 2013. From the 2007 SPCK Annual Report: "

grant leases to SSGCT, at peppercorn rents, on certain other freehold properties for a period of

seven years, after which time they will be transferred to SSGCT if the SPCK Bookshops Group

remains in operation on an agreed basis.

(2) Again, from the Annual Report: "

trustees' meeting that the bookshops should be transferred to St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust.

This charity undertook not only to take on all the staff and to try to keep all the shops open, but also

to ensure that the stockholding carried a breadth of materials from a variety of Christian

denominations, including those of differing views on contentious current debates.

This transfer seemed significantly better than any achievable alternative, leaving the staff in place

and the Society with the opportunity to re-group and begin to move towards a more sustainable

financial future

transfers from SPCK to SSG afterSPCK also agreed to"In the event, it was decided by a unanimous vote at the"

In case anyone is confused:

SSG

of the bookshops in October 2006. Also known as

: Saint Stephen the Great Charitable Trust run by Mark and Phil Brewer. Took over the runningThird Space Books on some occasions.

SPCK

was allowed to trade under the SPCK name until

: Anglican Missionary society founded in 1698. Former owners of the bookshop chain. SSGOctober 2007.

Summary of ownership of the buildings:

If my maths and information are correct:

•

4 or 5 shop buildings were given to SSG.

•

6 or 7 shop buildings are still owned by SPCK, but subject to a 7 year covenant.

•

arrangement of some sort.

Posted by Dave at 8:23 pm on April 19, 2008 and filed under

SPCK

The rest of the buildings are rented or (in one or two cases?) subject to a rent-freeAnglican goings-on, Save the, Religion.

32 Comments

shop building

was to be sold but it was later withdrawn from the sale.

Sheffield

Shop building rented. The staff

exchange of press releases

new staff. The shop is currently

were sacked on February 5th and the shop closed following anbetween SSG and the Cathedral authorities, but it has now reopened withclosed. It is not known whether this is temporary or permanent.

Lincoln

The building is rented. The staff

reopened, but

rent

were sacked on February 5th and the shop closed. The shop wasclosed again on Friday March 14th. The property is being advertised as available to(property Reference: CP7383). The shop is closed.

Chester

Building

 

authorities allowed this to occur without public comment. A

run this shop. The shop is currently

York

controversy in October / November 2007 when the

 

April 19th, 2008

Former SPCK shop roundup

 

April 3rd, 2008

SSG / SPCK bookshop reports

 

April 2nd, 2008

Unholy row erupts over bookshop jobs

 

March 29th, 2008

Has Winchester SPCK / SSG gone

independent?

| Back to Top