'We are desperate' - Brighton bookshop for writers of black origin given weeks to find new home

• Video report by ITV Meridian's Andy Dickenson

A bookshop dedicated to writers and readers of a black origin could be forced to close - just 18 months after it opened.

Afrori Books in Brighton is thought to be the only store and community space of its kind in the region.

But its rental costs are quadrupling.

Its landlord is itself a struggling arts charity, but the shop now has just six weeks to find a new home.

• Volunteer Mariam Shobowale tells us how important the store is to the local black community

The shop's founder, Carolynn Bain, has used the space as a springboard to take anti-racism classes into schools, run workshops and launch The Brighton Book Festival.

Based on the ground floor of the Lighthouse arts charity, it's been paying a nominal £500 'service charge' each month as rent.

But now the charity say that they need to look for new sources of revenue - having lost core funding.

"On a scale of one to desperate, we are desperate desperate," Carolynn said.

"If we look across Brighton, there are two front door places for black people in this city.

"One is a pub up the road, which has the only black manager in Brighton and the other one is this bookshop.

"We do so many things here, education workshops, we run anti-racist kids clubs across the city.

"We've created a safe space for people of colour and people who want to learn more about what it is to be anti-racist and to change their bookshelves.

"And so without this shop, there's a lot of families, a lot of people who just lose out."

The shop's launched a crowdfunder appeal to help find and pay for a new home.

In a statement, Lighthouse said: "The demand for core funding in the art scene is exceptionally high, and like many other not-for-profit arts organisations, we must now look for other sources of revenue to sustain our charitable work.

"Unfortunately, offering space rent-free to other businesses is no longer financially feasible.

"We are proud and honoured to have had Afrori Books based at Lighthouse and to have played a part in their transition from an online business to a popular physical shop and community hub.

"Carolynn and her team are incredible, and Afrori Books is a much needed addition to the city. We will continue to support them as they find a suitable space and move forward to bigger and better things."

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