Stunning Bookshops In London

If you've been reading my blogs and following my posts on Instagram, you will know I was a student Saturday book seller many moons ago. It was one of the best jobs that I had. I was also very popular with fellow students at the University because I got a discount on books.

Saturdays were fun because I loved the buzz of going to work with my fellow student booksellers in the Gower Street Store (Waterstones). I also made lifelong friends, and we meet up regularly. In fact, we met up this summer for a picnic in the Park. 

Fiction 

I worked in the fiction department of the Gower Street Flagship store (Waterstones), which was one of the busiest departments in the store. We were rushed off our feet most Saturdays, particularly during the festive holiday season. 

I loved the smell of a fresh new book as we stacked the shelves or served the customers. I've served plenty of famous people during my time. Therefore, I was chuffed to hear that two of the world's best bookshops would be in my home city. I know both. 

Best Bookshops 

I recently read a Time Out article on the best 10 bookshops in the world. Two of them are in London. Yay. One is Words on Water, a Dutch Barge Boat on Regent's Canal near King's Cross, and the other is Daunt Bookshop. 

I've walked past the Words on Water but not ventured on the barge. I will try to go back. The other being Daunt Books. The Marylebone flagship store is like walking into a different world. 

 10 Interesting Facts about the London Book Scene 

1. Rich History of Bookshops

London is home to the UK’s oldest bookshop, Hatchards (founded in 1797), on Piccadilly. The shop holds royal warrants and has served literary figures like Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron.

2. Independent Bookshops Boom

As of 2022, London had 1,072 independent bookshops, a 10-year high, driven by community support and a post-lockdown reading surge, bucking retail decline trends.

3. Cecil Court’s Literary Haven 

   Known as “Booksellers’ Row,” Cecil Court, a Victorian alley near Covent Garden, hosts specialist bookshops like Goldsboro Books and Alice Through the Looking Glass, focusing on rare editions and niche genres.

4.  Foyles' Iconic Presence 

   Foyles’ flagship on Charing Cross Road, with over 200,000 titles and four miles of shelves, is a cornerstone of London’s book scene. It also hosts events and houses a café.

5. Unique Floating Bookshop 

  Word on the Water, a 100-year-old Dutch barge on Regent’s Canal, offers a quirky book-buying experience with second-hand and new books, live music and poetry events.

6. Diverse Literary Offerings 

Bookshops like New Beacon Books (est. 1966) in Finsbury Park specialise in Black British, Caribbean, African, and Asian literature, reflecting London’s multicultural reading culture.

7. Daunt Books’ Global Appeal 

 Daunt Books, especially its Marylebone branch, organises books by country rather than genre, attracting travel enthusiasts and boasting Edwardian interiors that draw global visitors.

8. Literary Events Galore

London’s book scene thrives on events, from author signings at Waterstones Piccadilly (Europe’s largest bookshop) to literary festivals like the London Book Fair, a major global publishing event.

9. Rare and Collectable Books

Shops like Goldsboro Books and Peter Harrington in Mayfair cater to collectors, offering rare first editions and signed copies, including unique items like J.K. Rowling’s pseudonymous works.

10. Community and Innovation

Bookshops like Libreria in Shoreditch use creative shelving (e.g., thematic categories) and host workshops. Crowdfunding efforts have saved historic shops, showing London’s community-driven book culture.

Parting Comments 

If you love books, then London is definitely a place where you can pop into a bookshop and lose yourself in a book for a few minutes. Who knows, you might even bump into Cinderella doing precisely that. It's a great way to discover new titles while browsing the book selection. 

The smell of a fresh new book is still the same as when I worked in the bookshop. I plan to go to the floating bookshop soon and blog about it.

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Tabby