10:10am Friday 5th December 2008
AN unholy row has broken out over the running of Durham Cathedral bookshop.
More than 300 people have signed a petition urging the Dean and Chapter to ‘rescue’ it from its American owners.
Critics say Phil and Mark Brewer’s Saint Stephen the Great Trust has ‘ravaged’ the shop, once described as the best theological bookshop in the world. The trust took over the bookshop from the SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) in November 2006. Opponents have an online petition that reads: “Surely enough is enough, we urge you (the Dean and Chapter) to take decisive action now to rescue the shop from further decimation. We urge you, please: take back control of your bookshop, of our bookshop, without further delay.”
According to its website, the trust is a lay charity established in 2004 to acquire redundant churches to put them into use for Orthodox Christian worship.
The trust did not respond to requests for an interview or statement.
Paul Whittaker, chapter clerk at the cathedral, said: “Discussion with Saint Stephen the Great is ongoing but the Chapter considers injudicious comment about a business tenancy at this stage will not help to resolve the issues. However, it continues to note with concern the many comments about the shop.”
The petition is at ipetitions.com/petition/ durhamcathedralbookshop/index.html
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