THE co-operative planning to set up a bookshop in Great Malvern is holding public meetings later this month to raise interest and funds.

Malvern Book Co-operative was formed after hearing the long-standing independent store, Beacon Books in Worcester Road, announced it was shutting down after 23 years.

Now the co-operative is holding meetings at 7.30pm on Thursday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 29 and hopes people interested in investing in the venture will attend.

The meetings will take place in the St Ann’s Road premises where they plan to open their store – just a few hundred yards away from Beacon Books.

Helen Barker, spokesman for the seven-strong group, estimates they need at least £20,000 to start up with a fully stocked store and sees the meeting as an opportunity to encourage community involvement.

She said: “It is very important, because unless we have our funding it can’t go ahead.

“We are fairly confident this will work.

“We want to meet people who can offer ideas, money or time to this exciting project. The meetings are for people that want to find out more about the venture.”

The bookshop is intended as the centre of a cultural community, offering a wide range of book-related events and activities. It will also offer tea, coffee and cakes.

When Beacon Books owners Stuart and Anne-Marie Broadhurst announced the decision to close the store they blamed the rise of e-books and internet booksellers.

For more information, go to malvernbookcoop.wordpress.com.