The oldest bookshop in the country is in a tall, five storey building at 187 Piccadilly. Hatchards was opened by John Hatchard, a publisher and anti- slavery campaigner in 1797. It remains in the same building to this day and is an inviting place in which to browse. Age, heritage and time past are in the air as you enter. This is a quiet, cultured, civilised shop with books in neat piles on small tables as well as in tall bookcases. There is an imposing central staircase, many interesting historical photos and beautiful flower displays. More importantly to me are the little nooks, window seats and sofas where one can sit peacefully and decide on exactly what to purchase. As I sat and looked around, it wasn’t hard to imagine Darcy coming down the stairs carrying a small volume of essays. The whole thing feels very Georgian!
However, all is not quite as it seems, as is so often the case. Waterstones has owned Hatchards since the 1990s but in some surprising and unusual wisdom they have decided not to brand the place but to leave it to itself. How very sensible. How very pleasing.