Travel by car, bus or train (one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world - it is said!) Walk the Peace Bridge (if it’s not blowing a gale). Make your way past the Guildhall and up Shipquay Street to the Diamond. You are now entering the historic Cathedral Quarter of the City of Derry. Where are you going? You are heading to Gateway Shop on Pump Street in the heart of the city!

Gateway Shop, which is only a short walk from the Diamond or from Foyleside Shopping Centre, has been open since early July 2024. We, in Gateway Christian Fellowship, are thankful to God and excited that after months of prayer, waiting, planning, renovating, sourcing of fittings and stock, our shop is finally up and running.

People are coming in. People are buying. People are chatting with us. People are asking questions. We are making connections, and we now have a visible presence in the city.

What’s the Gateway Shop like? It’s an attractive space – visitors have commented on how relaxing and peaceful it is. We have tried to create a welcoming and calm space where people feel comfortable and at ease. As well as selling items we have a variety of seating areas and tables. We have free Wi-Fi and phone charging points and a coffee dock so we can provide hot drinks for anyone wishing to stay for a while.

We have a large window area, so we try to make our window display interesting and related to something that is going on in the City, or in the wider world. During the Paris Olympics we had an Olympic themed display focussing on the life of Eric Liddell.

What do we sell?

• Books, both Christian and secular, adult and children’s books, new and second hand

• Greeting cards and Stationery

• Crafts – mostly locally sourced from our members and friends including pottery, knitted and crocheted items, bookmarks and cards

• Hope and Light jewellery sold in aid of the NI charity of that name which seeks to help trafficked girls in south-east Asia

• Free Christian literature is available both inside and in an outdoor under cover display area.

We also have a children’s area where children can browse our range of children’s books, play, draw or make a bookmark. A shelved area is run as a small food bank from which people are free to take a few non-perishable items.

Who runs the shop?

It is run by members of Gateway Christian Fellowship with the very welcome assistance of members of the other congregations in the Western Presbytery. Gateway Christian Fellowship meets in a good-sized room to the rear of the shop.

Our opening hours are 10:30-16:30 Tuesday to Saturday. We would love to see more people coming in and are taking steps to try to increase the footfall. Visitors from the church are a great encouragement. It’s amazing how seeing church members visiting brightens up our day! You may also pick up a bargain, find a unique gift for someone or a book that might be helpful for a friend to read.

We recommend a visit to our beautiful city and when you are here pop into the Gateway Shop.

How can you help?

Pray that more people would come into the shop and for opportunities for gospel focused conversations. Pray for wisdom as we seek to hold events in the building which would attract people in.

• Give thanks for those who have bought Christian Books or taken free literature and pray they would be blessed as a result. Pray that Christ would build his church in this city and that the Gateway Shop would prove to be an introduction to that church for some.

• Visit – visits encourage those manning the shop and create more of a buzz encouraging others to come in.

• Think about helping to man the shop if you are a member of the R.P church and within reach of the city. Training will be provided for all volunteers.

• Could you consider doing Short-Term Service in the Northwest churches which would include helping in the Gateway Shop?

• Prayerfully think about moving to the Northwest and supporting the work of the churches in this needy but beautiful area.