News

Fourth Living Oasis to close

07.07.11 | Lisa Campbell

A fourth Living Oasis bookstore in two weeks has announced its closure, with the once 19-strong Christian bookselling chain now in rapid decline.

Living Oasis in Chester will shut its doors for the last time on 30th July. It follows the closures of branches in Weston-super-Mare, Nottingham and Worthing, all announced in the last two weeks.

Ian Vollands, manager of Living Oasis Chester, said: "We are closing because there is a lack of people coming through the door. We have never really had the support."

He added the shop was also making no money.

The Nationwide Christian Trust owns Living Oasis, all formerly Wesley Owen bookshops, and its chairman Ray George said he was in talks to convert all branches into "phase two" stores, which include a community space and coffee shop. Living Oasis branches in Leeds and Liverpool are still in line to go through the phase two development.

However, George said in some places there was "a lack of support" for the conversion, which is why shops were closing.

Excluding these stores which are currently not trading, the once 19-strong book chain has been reduced to five which are still open.

 

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By Melanie Carroll

Living Oasis Cheltenham has just announced on their facebook page that they are to close on July 9th, so that's now 5, yes a rapid and very, very sad decline.

Fri, 08/07/2011 - 20:36

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