Hatchards

187 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE

Hatchards is an independent specialist bookshop in Piccadilly founded by John Hatchard in 1797, located next to Fortnum and Mason, and opposite the Royal Academy. It has now quietly become part of the Waterstone’s group, but this doesn’t seem to have affected its unique grandiloquent feel. It is London’s oldest bookshop, the occupants having been in the building for over two centuries, and is still located on an impressive five floors. Hatchards is a proud bookseller to the Royal households, holding three Royal Warrants. The Queen gets her fiction here. You wouldn’t know of its connections to Waterstones as it is still run as if it was an independent. The manager Francis Cleverdon is very welcoming and keen to talk to new publishers about their new publications.

It looked as though they still did their own private ordering and they have some requested out of print books that they now have organised print runs of themselves, as other established independent bookshops are increasingly choosing to do.
The staff also make a point of unearthing neglected classics and will sometimes have organised a fresh print run of these tomes with a freshly designed cover. They boast an excellent Christmas customer evening event offering a subscription and wedding service. They opened a second store in St. Pancras International in 2014, which has an even later closing time of 9pm for late literary launches.
The Waterstones store in Piccadilly is just a few blocks along, making it a great place for bibliophiles to visit. They retain an independent aura despite being a part of the Waterstones Empire, and it’s for that reason that we include them here.

Contact details

Address: 187 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE
Phone: 020 7439 9921
Website: hatchards.co.uk
Email: : books@hatchards.co.uk
Twitter: @Hatchards
Nearest tube: Green Park, Piccadilly Circus
Buses: 6, 12, 14, 19, 38, 46, 88, 94, 139, 159, 227, 453
Closes: 8pm