Edinburgh bookshop stays shut amid fears for staff after series of threats

An independent bookshop has stayed shut for the day after receiving a series of threats.

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Lighthouse Bookshop in West Nicolson Street announced on social media it had decided not to open out of concern for the safety of its staff.

The business’s Twitter post said: “Our booksellers are real people. You might not like what we stand for, but you have no right to threaten our humans or make us feel unsafe at work.

The Lighthouse bookshop is in West Nicolson Street Picture: Google Maps

“Today’s latest threat, pinned to our doors after weeks of harassment, had us choose safety & selfcare. We’ll be back tomorrow.”

The shop, which is normally open seven days a week, describes itself as “a queer-owned and woman led independent community bookshop” and “an unapologetically activist, intersectional, feminist, anti-racist, LGBTQ+ community space”.

In 2020 it was nominated as Scotland’s Best Independent Bookshop.

A notice at the premises said: “We’ve been facing heightened levels of harassment lately and today it didn’t feel safe to open the shop. We are sorry we can’t be here in person for you.

"You can find us on our website www.lighthousebookshop.com.”

Another Twitter post from the shop said the most recent run of harassment had mostly been “racist anti-Marxist conspiracy theories and violent misogyny” and the latest threat had had a “far right evangelical” current to it.

The announcement attracted many messages of support.

The shop responded saying: “The many messages of solidarity we have had are testament to fact that we are not alone in this – thank you. If you want to do something about the kind of misogynistic, racist, queerphobic hatred we’ve faced, get involved in the community – help change the narrative.”

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