Day 13 Hatchards
I’m not sure how I have opened 13 doors on my London Advent Calendar and not yet revealed a book shop. But here it is one of my all time favourites, Hatchard’s Booksellers in Piccadilly. Hatchard’s has been selling books since 1797 and is London’s oldest bookshop. It also has 3 royal warrants. Two are proudly displayed above its door, and the one from the late Queen is on view behind the counter. It is said, this is where Queen Elizabeth II went to stock up on Agatha Christie.
From the outside the book shop looks Dickensian with its curved windows and dark green facade. In my minds eye, I can see snow falling steadily onto Piccadilly as horse and carriages arrive at the entrance. The faces of young and old in Victorian dress are pressed up against the windows. Displayed inside are the latest copies of The Pickwick papers.
There is a untimely quality to this book shop and at Christmas the decor lends itself to beautiful displays of festive floral arrangements and large wreaths. The sweeping highly polished staircases. The carefully curated stacks of books on tables and carefully ordered on shelves, and the genuinely helpful and courteous staff who love to talk books. All of this adds to the charm of Hatchards.
Each Christmas Hatchards publishes a beautifully bound limited edition of a carefully chosen reissue. With cloth binding, a stylish dust jacket and beautiful endpapers these make a lovely Christmas present and could be the beginning of a collection for any booklover in your life. Last year was ‘Don’t Tell Alfred’ by Nancy Mitford and ‘Tied Up in Tinsel’ by Ngaio MarshThis year it is The Shooting Party by Isabel Colegate, and The Red House Mystery’ by A.A. Milne.
I cannot imagine Christmas shopping without a visit to Hatchards, and I always make sure to pop a little Christmas gift for myself too!
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