An independent bookshop for Newquay with support from the SWEF fund.

After a successful 18 months as a pop-up, a grant from SWEF supported Jamie to bring her dream of being an independent bookseller to life. 

After studying the publishing industry in Oxford Jamie returned to her hometown of Newquay where she sorely missed the presence of an indie bookshop and the chance to buy books in real life.  

Clemo Books started out as a pop-up bookshop travelling to Newquay Farmer’s Market, local cafes, and lots of other venues across Cornwall. In November 2023 Jamie got the keys to 33b Bank Street and transformation of the space was made possible through a crowdfunder campaign and support from SWEF. Clemo Books opened in time for Christmas on Saturday 25 November 2023.  

Clemo Books stocks the latest fiction, non-fiction, Cornish inspired titles and of course YA and children’s literature. The shop hosts events and a year after opening has become a thriving hub of the community.  

 Jamie also runs Clemo Club, monthly subscription book club. Each month members receive a gift-wrapped book and gather at the start of the following month to talk about it. 

About the fund 

The aim of SWEF is to change things for young people who are perfectly capable of taking their business to the next stage but don’t have access to the finance to do so. 

Young people can struggle to access a bank loan if they have no assets to guarantee the loan; they may not have savings; or friends and family who can support them financially; or a network of contacts who are angel investors. 

There are few options for them to finance an investment in their business and SWEF’s aim is to fill that gap. 

SWEF is a fundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. that invests in the business initiatives of young people. SWEF looks at what they are already doing for themselves and backs them with grant funding. In most cases, the businesses that SWEF backs are already up and running in some form. 

SWEF provides business grants up to the value of £2,000.  

For more information about Clemo Books visit clemobooks.co.uk 

If you are a young entrepreneur looking for funding view our available grants to see if SWEF is currently open. 

If you are looking to support the Cornwall Community Foundation with a donation, go to our online donation page.