Artwords Bookshop in London Fields has introduced a Pay It Forward scheme. (Images credits: Louis Brettkelly)

A perceived crisis in consumer confidence and a rising cost of living has led a number of bookshops in East London to introduce “Pay It Forward” book schemes. However, the money raised is largely going un-used.

Pay It Forward schemes see customers donate to a communal kitty. Customers with lower budgets can then withdraw from the fund and use the money to purchase a book. Currently, London Fields-based Broadway Bookshop’s fund sits at over £600, with customers rarely withdrawing.

The Broadway Bookshop’s Pay It Forward fund stands at over £600. (Image credits: Louis Brettkelly)

‘Literature should be accessible to the entire community’

Manager of Broadway Bookshop, Tom Pegg, says the scheme is ‘a way for customers to give back to the local community’. He believes ‘literature, fresh ideas and creativity should be accessible to the entire community.’

Behind the till in the small but well-stocked shop, surrounded by copies of Beckett and Bronte, hangs a blackboard with the kitty’s total of £630 in bold bubble writing.

(Image Credits: Louis Brettkelly)

Pages of Hackney in Clapton was the first bookseller in London to set up a Pay It Forward scheme. In the backdrop of rising recommended retail prices, Jo Heygate launched the scheme. In 2019, the average paperback in the UK cost £9.50. New Nielsen Books data shows that by 2024, the average price exceeded £12.

In Pages of Hackney, customers can purchase vouchers that can then be claimed by ‘the unwaged or those on low income’. The vouchers can be used ‘no questions asked’. Jo says the scheme is ‘an act of solidarity’ between customers, ‘rooted in the principle that knowledge should be accessible to all’. The notice board is filled with vouchers ranging from £2 to £20. You can barely see the cork board behind.

The Pay It Forward solidarity board in Pages of Hackney is full with vouchers. (Image credits: Louis Brettkelly)

‘We get few customers using the fund’

Tom from the Broadway Bookshop says that the huge figure donated is ‘a testament to the generosity’ of his customers. However, he says ‘even with the board above the till, we get few customers using the fund’. He says that since opening in 2005, London Fields has become increasingly gentrified. ‘We get increasing attention from social media – people see Broadway Market on Instagram and TikTok and come and visit our shop. Perhaps these customers don’t need the book fund.’

Next door, Artwords Bookshop has introduced an identical Pay It Forward scheme. Manager of Artwords, Ben Hillwood-Harris, says his fund is also constantly growing. He says that since pop star Charli XCX said Artwords was her favourite London bookshop, ‘fans of hers come and check out our colour-coded displays and our unique collection. These visitors don’t tend to use the fund’.

Artwords Bookshop advertises their Pay It Forward scheme in the window. (Image credits: Louis Brettkelly)

‘Booksellers need to think about the best way to access target readers’

A representative of a Hoxton-based youth literacy charity, who wishes to remain anonymous, says the money raised by customer generosity in these schemes ‘could go a long way for charities’. He says he doesn’t want to see ‘readers put-off due to cost pressures’. He says particularly for young families, ‘owning children books can be essential to literacy progression outside of the classroom, especially in early-years education’. For this reason, he believes the principle behind these schemes is ‘excellent’. However, he adds that:

‘Booksellers need to think about the best way to benefit their communities and access target readers, who may not even consider entering a bookshop and therefore won’t know these funds exist. The money they raise could be put to phenomenal use purchasing books for under-privileged students or providing new textbooks to resource-stretched classrooms. If the money is not getting withdrawn, charities like ours could put it to good use’.

Finding ways to better connect these funds with those in need may help East London’s bookshops make the most of their customers’ generosity.