THE owners of a book shop in Frinton are asking the community to help them guarantee the future of their popular High Street store.

Business partners Judith Charlesworth and Sally Johnson have run Caxton Books in Connaught Avenue for the past 14 years.

The shop has been part of the High Street for more than 40 years and has become part of the town’s fabric.

Judith says the quaint book shop is “thriving” and she is currently in the process of re-negotiating a new lease with the building’s landlord.

But the shop is facing a substantial rent increase which could see it face financial difficulties and bring its place in the town into question.

Judith said: “If the shop was to close, the impact on the community would be enormous and considered quite a loss – shops like this are the soul of the town.

“People remember coming here when they were younger and from a social aspect there are so many people who pop into smaller shops for a cheery word.

“It has been difficult to maintain a positive faith when we have been very fearful of for the shop’s future – it has been worrying.”

The news of Caxton Books’ increased rent prices comes just two months after the family-run Café 19, located in the same street, was forced to shut up shop.

In a bid to avoid a similar fate, the two bookworms are now looking to raise £25,000 to be able to comfortably afford payments for the next five years.

They are about to launch a crowdfunding campaign to give them a platform from which to generate the funds.

Judith said: “We are a thriving shop, but it has always been a struggle to run a book shop because our books are set at a fixed price.

“We are asking the community to help us cover the rent to guarantee we can remain here, because the shop would face difficulties going forward otherwise.

“We are fighting to keep going and to ensure we don’t see a long-established shop close down.”

To find out more about how you can donate, search for Caxton Books on Facebook.