A bookshop famous for supplying books to the royal households has opened its doors on Cheltenham’s Promenade, coinciding with the start of the town’s famous Literature Festival.
Taking over the site previously occupied by clothing retailer Jack Wills, the new Hatchards store at 88 the Promenade will have a strong focus on history, art, biography and coffee table books.
Founded in 1797, Hatchards is London’s oldest bookshop, holding royal warrants since they were invented; with other notable customers including Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and William Boyd.
The bookseller currently has stores in Piccadilly and at St. Pancras station in London, with Cheltenham set to be its first outside of the capital.
This latest branch will be large enough to incorporate an events space, where it plans to hold thoughtfully curated events, such as author signings, all year round.
Francis Cleverdon, general manager of the original Hatchards store in Piccadilly, said 'We're so proud to be coming to the heart of literary Gloucestershire for our third shop.
'Cheltenham has its own marvellous literary traditions which we hope to reflect and expand with our books, our booksellers and our own literary heritage.'
