PLANS are still underway for the development of the town centre’s independent book shop, says its manager, with a completion date scheduled for the end of the summer.

The St Helens Book Stop was set up following a community fundraising effort, with a crowdfunding appeal in 2020 seeing the store secure backing.

The site on Bridge Street has gone from strength to strength becoming a real community hub.

Now, following the plans laid out in the beginning, it is starting work to create an event space upstairs to benefit all.

The team also plan to install a lift, making it accessible to the whole community.

Manager Nik Lowe said: “The important thing for us is making sure this community venue is truly made for everyone in the community, so we are prioritising making it accessible.

“The space will be an event space with the lift, with hopes to maybe add more in the future, but for now we have provisionally chosen a contractor and hope to have work started by June at the very latest and be all finished by the end of summer.

“The event space will be a space for all kinds of things to happen, which is very exciting.”

Nik added that during the works they are hoping to open a temporary pop up shop in an empty unit in the town centre, which is being finalised by St Helens Council.

The venue will also be looking to add another coffee shop vendor to the back of the site following Two Brothers Coffee Shop – which set up at the back of the shop – leaving the town.