Classic British Shops

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Hatchards

London's oldest bookshop, opened in 1797 and still selling books over five floors of Piccadilly.

Books & paperTrading before 1900Royal Warrant

Photo by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Also in Shopping and Literary London.

John Hatchard opened in 1797 and the shop has been on Piccadilly ever since, latterly next door to Fortnum's. It holds three royal warrants and the staircase, the galleries and the fireplaces are all as they were.

The signed first editions on the ground floor are the speciality. Byron, Wellington and Disraeli were customers, and the Royal Horticultural Society was founded in a room upstairs.

Where
187 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE
Nearest station
Piccadilly Circus · 4 min walk

Hours

Monday09:30 – 20:00
Tuesday09:30 – 20:00
Wednesday09:30 – 20:00
Thursday09:30 – 20:00
Friday09:30 – 20:00
Saturday09:30 – 20:00
Sunday12:00 – 18:00

Hours from the page that lists them, checked 11 September 2026.

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Data is compiled from public sources including OpenStreetMap, under the ODbL. Hours change often, so check before making a journey.

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