When I was younger, I couldn’t have been more of a bookworm. Reading consumed my summers. I’d always look forward to finding a five quid bargain at our local bookshop or trips to the library where I’d always try to take out more than was allowed. To this day my mum laughs as she remembers the times, I used to list all the big words I didn’t understand in every chapter and start up ‘word of the week’. ‘Perspicacious’ is the only one that’s stuck with me. I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I read as much now but any chance to channel my inner Matilda Wormwood I’ll take, and Hatchards is the perfect place for it.
Luke Taylor, retail director of Hatchards, along with a small London based team, has helped bring the new Cheltenham shop to life. The aim was to open 9am sharp, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to welcome book enthusiasts old and new to coincide with the Literature festival celebrations. However, ongoing building work and last minute shelve stacking meant the champagne couldn’t be popped until six hours later. “We got there in the end”, laughs Luke in relief. The new store is the first outside of London for many years and can be found sandwiched right in the middle of the Promenade. The Hatchard’s name carries great weight in the literary world. In fact, it’s one of the oldest bookshops in the UK after I learn the Piccadilly base has been running for over 225 years! Although the Cheltenham branch is yet to hit that milestone the building itself can’t be understated. The high ceilings and brown and green tones really open the space up, giving off the sense of warm sophistication. Nothing feels out of place and there’s something so satisfying in splashes of colours in each row of books. As Luke says, “it’s rather spectacular.”
Reading for many is the perfect form of escapism. Earlier this year Statista found that one of the main reasons why children and young people between the ages of eight and 18 read, is to relax. “Most of the time you find that children fall in love with bookshops between the ages of 5 and 12.” says Luke and “they can carry this love for the rest of their lives.” The need to engage young minds and avoid the mindless turning of pages is more needed than ever. Hatchards work alongside schools to encourage reading as a passion. “In many cases we work with schools in special measures to really raise the standard and calibre of reading that goes on there” … “We try to target underprivileged areas with huge ethnically diverse backgrounds to really improve the diversity in publishing and books.” He explains, adding how this primary focus is ‘key’ to improving the levels of literacy across the country. What’s more, the shop offers the chance to meet local and famous authors, browse and purchase exclusive editions and keep up to date with the latest bestsellers. So, asides from its impressive history and variety of genres, what makes this shop just that bit more special?
Underneath a picture of John Hatchard himself stands a glass box containing an album with a noticeable signature of the late Queen. Each year since 1951, Hatchards holds an Author of the Year Party. On several occasions the Queen and Prince Philip were first through the doors to launch the event. Luke says, “it’s priceless.” And contains the signature of every Prime Minister in it, to our current one “with the exception of Blair.” The album is only in store for a limited time, in a few weeks it will be returned to its London home where it will remain on prime display. Leaving the shop only makes me want to return as quick as I walked in. I have every belief that the shop will continue to hone the Hatchard belief to bring about change and make a difference more than it already has.
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