AN iconic community bookshop in Watchet which was set to close in September after raising nearly £300,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and local good causes over the past 17 years, has been saved by a new volunteer-led group, it was announced this week.

The decision to close the Harbour Community Bookshop caused shockwaves through the town and was caused by the retirement of bookshop managers Mary and Jeff Bird, who had been involved in the project since it opened in 2009.

Now, Watchet Coastal Communities Team (WCCT), which bought and refurbished the Esplanade building in 2021, has completed an agreement to ensure the shop will continue serving the community and follow in the footsteps of founders Alan and Melanie Woollam, who started the project in memory of their son Tom.

The incoming group, Linda Stroud, Anne Lovejoy, Rachel Irven, and Danusia Malina-Derben, will take the bookshop forward under the new name of the Mariner Community Bookshop.

They bring experience from the existing community bookshop and the Words in Watchet literary festival, as well as wider community leadership.

Ms Stroud said: "We are overjoyed to have found a way, in partnership with WCCT, to work alongside our existing volunteers, many of whom have told us how much they want their bookshop to continue.

“They have been central to its success and we hope they will remain at the heart of its next chapter.

“We are also excited to welcome new volunteers who would like to help shape its future."

A spokesperson for the project said: “Working alongside existing volunteers, the new team is committed to preserving everything that has made the bookshop such a valued part of Watchet.

“Looking ahead, they hope to build on that legacy by developing the Mariner Community Bookshop into a sustainable, year-round bookshop and cultural hub for the town.”

The bookshop will operate within the existing WCCT structure, with responsibility for the day-to-day running.

Surplus revenue will continue to be reinvested through grants supporting Watchet's local good causes.

WCCT chairman Martin Stevens said: "We are extremely impressed by the enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment of the incoming team.

“This partnership secures the future of one of Watchet's most valued community resources and we are delighted to be working together to help it flourish."

A statement issued by the new group said: "Operating initially within the existing WCCT provides a strong foundation for the new group.

“It allows us to reduce unnecessary duplication, and risk, while the year-round operating model is established and developed."

WCCT and the current Watchet Community Bookshop team will now discuss the possible transfer of display units, sales equipment, and stocks of books in order to ensure a smooth transition.

An open meeting for volunteers, and those interested in becoming involved in the new project, is planned for the coming weeks.

Anybody who is interested in volunteering or supporting the community bookshop in other ways or who wants to find out more information should make contact by emailing to [email protected].