City of Words pop-up book stall

On sale 24/7 in an open-air pop-up shop in West London are two or three hundred used books, sold in aid of the Dalgarno Trust, our local food bank.

As long as the fine weather lasts the stall stays open round the clock, untended, a book night-market. The books are sold on trust; none have been nicked. (At 50 pence apiece they’re already a steal.) Some people leave thank-you notes. And some of them, we hope, go online later to order our own publications.

Most of the books in the picture above are gone, but stocks will be replenished soon. Any left unsold will be passed on to the Oxfam bookshops in Notting Hill for the benefit of other causes, doubtless at higher prices. (Last time they sent all the books we donated to their branch in Ealing, where it seems people have more esoteric tastes.)

If you are in St Luke’s Mews, W11 and the weather holds, feel free to come by and browse. You’ll find tourists taking selfies in front of the display; they may be under the impression that this is the bookshop that features in the movie Notting Hill. Visiting film stars are also welcome.