Guide on Bookstores in London
London is littered with bookstores. Many chain shops and independent outlets are open around the capital. Some even carry foreign-language materials. Here are some book shops to check out in London:
Foyles: http://www.foyles.co.uk; 113 – 119 Charing Cross Road; WC2H 0EB; +44 (0) 207 437 5660
Foyles headquarters on Charing Cross Road is a massive book shop that even has a cafe. Everything from modern fiction to academic books including medical texts are available at Foyles. Sheet music, business books, law materials and foreign language acquisition books can be found, amongst hundreds of other genres at this popular shop.
Waterstone’s: http://www.waterstones.com;
Waterstone’s has branches around the capital but the most notable is the shop near Piccadilly Circus. Huge rooms carrying everything from eBooks to crime novels mark this special store. Comfortable chairs to sit and read also make this place unique. The restaurant at the Piccadilly branch has great views of the city but the food isn’t cheap.
Grant and Cutler: http://www.grantandcutler.com; 55 – 57 Great Marlborough Street; W1F 7AY; +44 (0) 207 734 2012
Grant and Cutler sells foreign-language books, carrying French, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian books to name a few. The world cinema department stocks DVDs in more than 30 languages.
Forbidden Planet http://forbiddenplanet.com; 179 Shaftesbury Avenue City of London WC2H 8JR 020 7420 3666
Not to be missed it is great fun shop devoted to books, clothes and other “essentials” for sci-fi lovers.
Stanford http://www.stanfords.co.uk; part of European chain, the London store is in Covent Garden, the store is devoted to travel.
Used books can be bought from a number of shops on Charing Cross Road, near Leicester Square tube.
Bloomsbury is another area where you will find a myriad of national and international high quality book-shops:
- Bookmarks, 1 Bloomsbury Street, WC1B 3QE, 020 7637 1848
- Gosh!, 39 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3PH, 020 7636 1011
- Judd Street Books, 82 Marchmont Street, WC1N 1AG 020 7387 5333
