Another chapter closes in Charing Cross Road

The future of Charing Cross Road in London as a haven for independent booksellers has been dealt another blow with the repossession of two shops belonging to one of the area's most famous names.

Two branches of Zwemmer's, an art book specialist at 72 and 80 Charing Cross Road, have been closed after apparently being unable to meet a rent rise imposed by the Soho Housing Association charity.

High rent increases have forced several shops on the road to move out. Number 84, which was immortalised by Helene Hanff's love story, 84 Charing Cross Road, is now a branch of the pub chain All Bar One.

Russell Purvis, the Soho Housing Association's head of operations, said: "As a registered charity in the social housing sector, we need to ensure that income is forthcoming."

Ed Horne, a Zwemmer's director, told The Bookseller magazine the shop had been trying to make adjustments to pay new rents and hoped to reopen "within a few days".

The Housing Association would not specify the size of the rent rise it wanted from Zwemmer's. In December 2001 it demanded a 60 per cent increase from crime bookshop Murder One at 71-73 Charing Cross Road.