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Original poster

Tell me about your favourite bookshops.

103 replies

ThePineappleSeahorse · 21/04/2025 16:01

I think that I have a new favourite, and no this isn’t an advertisement. I was in St Andrews last week and went to Topping and Company. I love all bookstores though normally prefer used bookstores but I found so many books that I wanted to buy. They had lots of lovely special and signed editions, ladders on the walls, friendly staff, offered tea and coffee, have a customer loo and was large and just maze like enough to be interesting without being too confusing.

I could only buy one book as I’d already bought several others and I had no more room.

So please tell me about your other much loved book shops as I’m eager to visit as many as possible.

TIA

OP posts:
Bamboozles · 21/04/2025 17:23

If you are ever in Bath …
Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights

Ariela · 21/04/2025 16:49

Bell Street Bookshop and Weys Secondhand Books, both in Henley.
Love Weys for the quirky eclectic and ever changing selection of books and cheerful service. Good selection of maps and interesting travel books, huge selection about rowing if that's your thing (locally it's a rowing town). Has a great £1 corridor of cheap books too, you'll find everything here far better priced than the large Oxfam secondhand bookshop also in town. Diana that runs it is always friendly and helpful, and often will find you something right up your street in the new in but not yet on the shelf stuff
Love Bell St Bookshop for the displays of (new) books you just have to pick up, I think whoever buys in must know my tastes or something! Always happy to order in for you even on a phone call. Staff there are so lovely. Also has a very good children's selection so can always find something suitable for a birthday present.

TattiePants · 21/04/2025 16:36

That sounds lovely. My favourite by far is Barter books in Alnwick, located in an old railway station. It is second hand books rather than new but you can take the books you’ve finished with for credit against future spend. They also have a lovely cafe in the old waiting room. It’s only an hour up the road but I seem to be reading exclusively on my kindle these days so haven’t been for a while.

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