An iconic Richmond bookshop, whose first guest author was Roald Dahl, has been forced to close down after 36 years of trading, due to rocketing rents.

The Lion and Unicorn bookshop in King Street announced its closure on Monday, June 24, and will terminate its current lease in August.

Owner Jenny Morris announced the closure with great regret, but said rent had increased to the point where it was unsustainable.

She said: “This decision has also been a personal one in that I am stepping down after 36 years of following my passion for children’s literature and for inspiring a lifelong love of books in the three generations of children who have become our regular customers over many happy years of bookselling.”

The bookshop, which opened in 1977, worked closely with the community and Richmond schools and built up a legacy for literacy events in the borough.

Mrs Morris said suggested “a safe pair of hands for the continuation of our essential schools’ services” with Isla Dawes and her staff at the neighbouring Kew Bookshop.

Miss Dawes, who runs Kew, Barnes and Sheen bookshops with her partner, 48-year-old Mark Brighton, said: “We really want to continue the tradition that was set up by the Lion and Unicorn.

“The Lion and Unicorn has always done lovely events and it would be a real shame to lose those in Richmond borough.”

She said companies such as Amazon had made it harder for bookshops.

She said: “We are not about to close but it just gets more and more difficult all the time because we have got to compete with the big retailers.

“People think that we will be here forever but do you know what, we might not actually.”

Richmond Council’s deputy leader Councillor Geoffrey Samuel said: “It is very sad but there is little doubt that bookshops are struggling and there are two things that are causing this.

“One is the electronic Kindles people are increasingly using and the other is the way supermarkets are undercutting bookshops on bestsellers.

“It is one of the ways a change in the way of life impacts on traditional shops.

“I am a genuine book purchaser, I never buy from supermarkets or borrow books, but I am a dying generation I’m afraid.”