Paris (AFP)
The publisher Antoine Gallimard fears "a wave of bankruptcies" of bookstores and publishing houses if "strong support" is not quickly put in place by the State to bring them help.
The Ministry of Culture recently announced the release of 22 million euros including 5 million euros for the book industry, "but these means are completely insufficient," said the boss of the group Madrigall (Gallimard, Flammarion , Casterman ...) in an interview published on Friday on the Livres Hebdo website.
"We need a major plan. We must also (...) that deadlines be granted to all companies in the sector for the settlement of charges," he added.
"The bookstore is the most fragile link. It must make massive use of the Bpi system (Public Investment Bank, Editor's note), it is vital for it as for the entire sector," insisted the editor.
Thursday, the Syndicate of the French bookstore (SLF) had launched an urgent call for the creation of a support fund to the booksellers, associating the State, the regions and private partners.
Like all businesses deemed non-essential, French bookstores have been closed since March 16.
"Bookstores must be able to quickly access the financial systems that will help them," said Antoine Gallimard.
Regarding the specific case of his publishing house, Antoine Gallimard said he is currently losing "more than 90%" of his turnover despite the boom in sales of books in digital format.
"It should not last too long, especially since we do not know when we will return to 100% after the health crisis," he said.
According to Antoine Gallimard, "the whole chain of the book will be quite affected until the end of the year, and even in 2021".
"Over the year, I expect a drop in turnover of around 20 to 25%, and above all a more marked drop in our operating margins," he said.
In these conditions, "the aid of the State will be essential, in particular for the small publishing houses and the bookstores. It must be resorted to massively", he insisted.
He also hoped that access to the aid of 1,500 euros provided by the government for the self-employed would be adapted "to the specific condition of the authors".
Regarding the start of the literary season, Antoine Gallimard wanted to "reduce by at least a third" the outings in late August and early September.
"For our part, we are postponing a lot of titles to next year," he said, adding however that "if all the conditions are met" he will publish the new novel by Elena Ferrante (author of the saga "The Prodigious Friend"), in June.
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