Just Books

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The Belfast Anarchist Collective opened Just Books in Winetavern Street in June 1978. Just Books was much more than a bookshop however, the premises included a short-lived library, the Print Workshop, a meeting and exhibition space, the Hideout Café, Belfast Independent Video, Belfast Unemployed Group and Women's News office. The Shop provided a focal point for the collective's many activities. A victim of the general decline of the Smithfield area following the 1986 development of CastleCourt Shopping Centre, a more general squeeze on radical booksellers brought about by recession, increased book prices and growing competition from bigger outlets Just Books closed its doors in June 1994.

However, during its sixteen year existence Just Books played a major role in the local punk scene, with Fanzines such as Alternative Ulster being printed up there, after the debut issue had been printed in Manchester by Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon. The Fanzine was printing 1,500 copies per issue.

Set up without any form of state subsidy or grant money, funds were raised through running benefits and from interest free loans and donations from supporters. A Battle of the Bands concert staged at Queens University on 14th June 1978 raised a much need £150 for Just Books and most of the local Fanzines and Good Vibrations Record covers were all printed at the Print Workshop in Just Books. The shop even launched their own Fanzine called Just Words in July 1978. In 1981, it was members of the Anarchist Collective who negotiated with the local gay community to persuade them to let them have use of their Carpenter Club in Long Lane, as the short lived A Centre, where numerous day time gigs were staged on Saturday afternoons.

The shop also operated a Prisoners Book Scheme from the earliest days of the store, right up until it closed. Books were available to prisoners at one third off and books banned by the prison authorities were cannily recovered to ensure they got past the screws. The Belfast Anarchist Collective also published a monthly bulletin called Outta Control which published 42 issues from 1980 to 1984.

After its closure, The Just Books collective appeared out of action, but in recent years have provided bookstalls at the Belfast May Day celebrations (St. George's Market), at numerous Grassroots Gatherings, and at various bookfairs in Ireland and England. On 1st April 2010 a new premises was opened at 13-15 Clarence Street, Belfast.