MORE needs to be done to help Oxford’s bookshops survive amid pressure from high rents and online competitors, retailers believe.

To coincide with Independent Bookshop week, which ends today, the Oxford Mail asked stores across the city how the are coping in the current economic climate.

The Book House in Banbury Road, Summertown, marked the week by offering double points on people’s discount cards.

Joint manager Renee Holler said: “Oxford is a great place for a bookshop but it’s more difficult because of online offers.

“We can’t buy the books at that price. Also people used to come in and buy lots of books before they went on holiday in the summer but now they are using Kindles.

“I don’t think the council do enough to support us as the rates are immense.

“From things like books and the cards we sell, we just don’t make enough of a profit to make up for all that sort of thing.”

But she added: “People still love books.

“We’re still here and we hope to be here for a long time to come.”

Michael and Andrea Keirs took over Arcadia books in St Michael’s Street, Oxford in 1975 from the Clutterbuck Brothers, who founded it in the 1940s as Oxford’s first paperback-only bookshop.

They say they have always shied away from publicity and their attitude is: “If you build it, people will come.”

Mr Keirs said: “Independent bookshops are slowly being forced out by the high level of rental in Oxford.

“Sometimes we in the book trade have wondered why there are so few in Oxford.

“When people consider setting up a bookshop they look at the costs and it doesn’t stack up.

“With the changing face of Oxford and developments like the Westgate Centre, it’s slightly disappointing that some group hasn’t got together and made the case for a greater number of booksellers.”

The couple now in their 60s said, despite the challenges of the Internet, there was still a market for quality second-hand books on interesting subjects that still fascinate readers.

Mr Keirs said: “When we set up the business, we were happy to run a small business and if people came and looked at what we were selling then fine.

“There hasn’t been a day when I haven’t come into work feeling happy and enjoying life.”

Euan Hirst is academic manager at Blackwell’s in Broad Street, which was founded in 1879. The shop is now the ‘flagship’ for the group.

He said the shop had been promoting lesser known publishers and titles for the festival, which ends today.

He added; “Certainly since Christmas we’ve seen more confidence and optimism in the book trade than there’s been for a number of years. I think the shops that are good are more confident of having a sustainable future than they have felt for a long long time.”