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The Big List 2025

The Big List gives details of all the bookshops across London. Those in boxes have registered to be part of the event - some will be offering extras with your bookshop crawl ID, and some won't but they should all know what's going on. Those not in boxes haven't registered but all bookshops are good bookshops! 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W 

A

213 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 0LH

Opening hours: 10.30am - 7.30pm Monday - Friday, 10am - 8pm Sat, 10am - 6.30pm Sunday 

Abney Books is London's gravest second-hand bookshop! We are situated just next to Abney Park cemetery, in a part of London that is full of history. We have a good range of classics, poetry and penguin fiction, as well as all genres of non-fiction. We promote zines and champion fiction that is published by small publishers - including putting on poetry evenings and book launches to help support these writers.

Downloadable itinerary included in: Hackney & Bow

35 Turnpike Ln, Harringay Ladder, London N8 0EP

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: We have a ramp for the front door / main space, but our back room gallery and toilet are regrettably unaccessible due to the premises (step/narrow doorways)

Perks: Free tea/coffee and 10% discount on new books on production of bookshop crawl ID card

The All Good Bookshop is a community-run cooperative independent bookshop and events space, largely (and enthusiastically) staffed by volunteers. We stock a curated mix of new books and books donated by our local community to help support the shop. Among a massive list of activities and events going on here (see our website) we have a gallery with a new art show every month and a lovely back yard to sit in, drink tea or coffee, and read. :D

Downloadable itinerary included in: Haringey

2A Church Ct, Richmond TW9 1JL

Opening Hours: 10am - 5.30pm Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat, closed Sun.

Accessibility: there are two steps to get into the Alligator's Mouth, but we have a foldable ramp we can put out on request

Perks: 

The Alligator's Mouth is a specialist children's bookshop at the heart of our local community in Richmond. Our mission is to reach all readers: the confident, the beginner, and the reading-resistant. We often work with local schools, providing events or stocking libraries. In the past we have welcomed Jacqueline Wilson, Chris Riddell, Cressida Cowell, Oliver Jeffers and Axel Scheffler among many others. We actively recommend a range of children's books in the shop, on our website, and on bookshop.org, to help every child find a book they love.

We do also keep a curated adult section of favourites and curiosities

On the Teddington & Richmond Group route. 

308 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2TH

Opening hours: 11am -5pm Monday - Sunday

Accessibility: fully accessible

Perks: 25% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

We offer amazing quality used books, vinyl, and CDs - as well as a selection of new goods. You’ll find collectables, contemporary fiction, children’s books, and classics, and just about every genre of literature. Your money goes to a good cause that builds community spirit, which is a wonderful bonus of shopping at this store.

On the Kentish Town & Camden Group route

56 Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0QA

Opening Hours: 11.30am - 7.30pm Monday - Saturday, 12.30pm - 6.30pm Sunday

Accessibility: Ground floor is accessible. Lower ground floor is not 

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Shop Online: https://www.anyamountofbooks.com/Online_Sales/OnlineSales.html

the only remaining general secondhand and rare bookshop on Charing Cross Road. 20,000 books over 2 floors, there is always something for everyone.

On the Leicester Square & Covent Garden route

83 Bell St, London NW1 6TB

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun 

The shop for SECONDHAND BOOKS AND PRINTED MUSIC,
SECONDHAND MUSIC SCORES AND SHEET MUSIC OF ALL KINDS,
PRINTED MUSIC VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL

20-22 Broadway Market, London E8 4QJ

Opening hours: 9am - 8pm Mon - Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat & Sun 

Bookshop stocking books about contemporary visual culture. 

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

49A Museum St, London WC1A 1LY

Opening Hours: 10.30am - 6pm Tues - Sat, closed Sun & Mon

Perks: Free zodiac badges with purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Specialists in the Western esoteric traditions for 102 years, this family run bookshop has an interesting past, intriguing stock and a busy programme of events.

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

71 Balham High Rd, London SW12 9AP

Opening hours: 10am -6pm Sat - Weds, 10am - 9pm Thurs & Fri

Accessibility: We have a ramp for wheelchair users/pushchairs. Our staff toilet (which customers can use) is downstairs so not accessible for wheelchair users

Backstory is Balham's independent bookshop with a bar serving coffee, wine and more. We host author events most weeks and run two book clubs (fiction and non-fiction) with monthly online meetings where the author joins.
We have a personalised book subscription service where subscribers are matched to one of our booksellers depending on their likes and dislikes, subscribers can either collect their book from us or we can post them out.
Instagram - @backstory.london Website - backstory.london

Downloadable itinerary: Balham, Clapham & Battersea

B

341-343 Roman Rd, Bow, London E3 5QR

Opening hours: closed Monday, 9am - 5pm Tuesday, 9am - 10.30pm Weds - Fri, 10am - 5pm Sat & Sun 
Cafe/bar serving coffee & pastries from 9am and wines, beers & cocktails from 11am. Toilet available 
Accessibility: Shop fully accessible by ramp, toilet not accessible

Perks: Free tea or coffee with book purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID 

Stores like Bard Books are examples of ‘third places’: much-loved local haunts that are neither home nor the workplace, but which we rely on for a sense of community and everyday socialising, with friends or strangers. 

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

98 Church Rd, London SW13 0DQ

Opening Hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Friday & Sat, 11am -5pm Sun

The Barnes Bookshop has been a proud part of the local community for over 30 years. With knowledgeable staff with a wealth of recommendations it lives up to it’s tagline as ‘quite possibly the best bookshop in Barnes’.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DD

Opening hours: closed Monday, 9am - 5pm Tuesday, 9am - 10.30pm Weds - Fri, 10am - 5pm Sat & Sun 
Cafe/bar serving coffee & pastries from 9am and wines, beers & cocktails from 11am. Toilet available 
Accessibility: Shop fully accessible by ramp, toilet not accessible

Perks: 15% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID 

Stores like Bard Books are examples of ‘third places’: much-loved local haunts that are neither home nor the workplace, but which we rely on for a sense of community and everyday socialising, with friends or strangers. 

Downloadable itinerary: Balham, Clapham and Battersea

17 Pitfield St, London N1 6HB

Opening Hours: 10am -6pm Weds - Sat, closed Sun - Tues

Bookartbookshop is run by Tanya Peixoto and is situated in the heart of the art/clubbing district of Hoxton on the edge of London’s east end. The shop sells and promotes artist’s books and small press publishers including all currently available titles from both Atlas Press and the London Institute of ’Pataphysics.

On Shoreditch & Brick Lane route

20 Norwood High St, Norwood, London SE27 9NR

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: access via a ramp for the steps in. 

We are second hand only bookshop, with thousands of books on display, mostly paperbacks, but some hardback, modern fiction first editions. We also sell Records, mostly vinyl, but a small selection of CDs. 90% of the vinyl is second hand

 

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge
 

38 Golders Green Rd, London NW11 8LL

Opening hours: 10am - 7pm Mon - Sun 

Established in 1990, The Book Warehouse is London's largest and longest established discount bookseller.

Offering a wide and varied selection of books, cards, gifts and educational toys, our product range is constantly updated, with many new and unique bargains appearing daily.

166 Blackstock Rd, London N5 1HA

Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm Tues - Sun, closed Mon

Accessibility: We are not wheelchair accessible at the moment, unfortunately. 


BookBar is a bookshop, wine bar, events and social space that brings people together through books. We host regular events, a monthly bookclub, and run our Shelf Medicate service - bundles of books based on a theme or a mood.

Downloadable itinerary: Arsenal, Dalston and Hoxton

268 Chiswick High Rd., Chiswick, London W4 1PD

Opening Hours: 10am -6pm Mon - Sat, 11am -6pm Sun 

Accessibility: Ground floor is wheelchair accessible but not the basement. 


Opened in 1993,  we specialise in discount tiles with a selection of full price books. Most subject areas catered for

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick and Hammersmith

Opening Hours: 11am - 5pm Monday - Saturday
 

Bookmarks is the UK's leading socialist bookshop and the official bookseller to the TUC.
We stock a wide range of radical literature. Our stock includes books on the trade unions, the history of the labour and social justice movements as well as cultural and literary topics.

We can supply you with books by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg and Antonio Gramsci as well as work by Angela Davis, Fanon, CLR James and Walter Rodney.

Our Women section ranges from Alexandra Kollontai, Simone de Beauvoir to Judith Orr.
We have an expanding section on environmental issues and on LGBT+ topics

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

439 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8LN

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6.30pm Mon - Sat, 10.30am - 5.30pm Sun 

Accessibility: fully accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs

33 year old, fairly large secondhand bookshop minutes from Brixton tube station.

On the Brixton & Peckham group route

20 Maxted Rd, London SE15 4LF

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Fri -Sun

Accessibility info: steep ramp into the shop and a small step between the two rooms https://books-peckham.com/about-1


BOOKS is a secondhand book and zine shop based in Peckham, South East London; selling nice copies of good books for cheap prices.

 

On the Brixton & Peckham route 

175 King St, London W6 9JT

Opening hours: 11am - 5.30pm Fri & Sat, 12pm - 4pm Sun 

Accessibility: Fully accessible

Perks: free badge & discounts on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Welcome to our second-hand bookshop, where the emphasis is on quality and building community spirit. Shopping with us means that you get to indulge in your love of books whilst making a vital contribution to our human rights campaigns. There is a lot to tempt you, from rare collectables to contemporary fiction, classics to children’s books, graphic novels and all the history and arts you can carry. Not to mention our top-quality cards and eco-friendly, Fairtrade, Amnesty-endorsed gift range. 

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick & Hammersmith

4 Blenheim Cres, London W11 1NN

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Fri & Sat, closed Sun 

Website: https://www.booksforcooks.com/index.html 

the cooks book store for all cooks

On the Notting Hill group route

80 Hill Rise, Richmond TW10 6UB

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Tues - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun, closed Mon

Accessibility: a shallow step into the shop and two steps into the back room of the shop

Located on Richmond Hill Books on the Rise offers a curated range of diverse contemporary fiction, drama and non-fiction. We host regular literary events and you can hire our literary lounge or event space for workshops, exhibitions, book launches, author talks or private events. Situated on beautiful Hill Rise in Richmond, you can visit us and continue up the hill to see one of the best views in London!

On the Teddington & Richmond group route

50 Westow St, London SE19 3AF

Opening hours: 11am -5pm Fri, 10am - 5pm Sat, 12pm - 5pm Sun 


Come and see us in Crystal Palace for a well established independent bookshop with a great atmosphere and the widest range of titles south of the river.

Downloadable itinerary: Lewisham & Crystal Palace

The Bookshop on the Heath

74 Tranquil Vale, Blackheath, London SE3 0BW

Opening hours: 11am - 5.30pm Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun, closed Weds. 

Long established bookshop, selling antiquarian & second hand books since 1949, also maps, prints, posters & original art.

Downloadable itinerary: Greenwich & Blackheath

70 Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon -Sun

Accessibility: Accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs. 

Boom Cat Books is a family run independent bookshop in the heart of Camden Market, filled with second hand books, records, cds and works of art.

On the Kentish Town & Camden group route

166 Brick Ln, London E1 6RU

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sun

Accessibility: We have a ramp that we can set up for entrance into the shop upon request. There are some tight spaces, but there are no further steps

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Brick Lane Bookshop is thrilled to be the London Region winner of Independent Bookshop of the Year 2024! Whether you're into fiction, non-fiction, East London history, poetry, children's books, feminism, European literature, or classics, we have something for everyone. From books and tote bags to writing workshops and author events—including a short story competition—we're your go-to destination. Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, we can also order most UK titles—often arriving the next day! Come and visit us or order online!

We run an annual short story prize and publish the longlist. The BLB Podcast is a new project from Brick Lane Bookshop created to celebrate and interrogate the short story form. On each podcast episode we invite a writer to discuss their writing and editing processes, how they got published, and what they’re reading.

On the Kentish Town & Camden group route

96 Euston Rd., London NW1 2DB

The British Library Bookshop is a dedicated bookshop stocking a carefully curated variety of genres, catering for the curious and literary minded visitor. With defined sections, seasonal displays, knowledgeable staff, and a comfy sofa, it’s a great space for customers to find the perfect book. Having recently reopened following temporary closure due to the pandemic, the team are delighted to welcome customers back to the Bookshop, which is open alongside the Library’s main gift shop. Don’t miss the dedicated Bookshop loyalty card too!

On the Kings Cross group route

6 Broadway Market, London E8 4QJ

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Fri & Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun 

Welcome to The Broadway Bookshop – a small but beautiful independent bookshop in busy Broadway Market, Hackney. We specialise in literary fiction and have a good range of poetry, philosophy & essays, politics, biography, city literature, travel, art, fashion, music and children’s books.

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

400 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AA

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Fri & Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun 

Burley Fisher Books is an independent bookshop in Haggerston selling both new and second-hand/antiquarian, with a general stock but a special interest in small press books. We have a regular programme of events and launches too!

Downloadable itinerary: Arsenal, Dalston & Hoxton

51 The Cut, London SE1 8LF

Opening hours: 11am - 8pm Fri & Sat, 1pm - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: fully accessible but very little room

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID 

We are a unique bookshop specialising primarily in theatre, alongside a curated selection of books on politics, philosophy, psychology, and more. At the heart of London, we also serve as a vibrant fringe theatre hub, featuring a 32-seat theatre located at the back of our shop, as well as a rehearsal studio in our basement. Our mission is to keep books, performances, and rehearsal spaces as accessible as possible, providing vital support to London’s thriving fringe theatre community.

On the South Bank group route

C

Arkwright Rd, London NW3 6DG

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Fri - Sun 

Our shop specialises in contempory art and theory books, with a selection of fiction, philosophy, LGBTQ+ Gender studies and current crital titles.

​Downloadable itinerary: West Hampstead & Hampstead Heath

63 Wells St, London W1A 3AE

Opening hours: 10.30am - 5.30pm Tues - Sun 

Accessibility: accessible by lift

The Cartoon Museum is the UK's only public gallery dedicated to the art of comics and cartoons and those who create them. Our shop is full of graphic novels, humorous greetings cards, gifts and exclusive exhibition related merchandise. 

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

14 Lordship Ln, London SE22 8HN

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat, 11am - 4pm Sun 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Chener Books is an authentic bookshop located in East Dulwich. We have a great selection and a great kids section!

On the Herne Hill & Dulwich group route

26 The Pavement, London SW4 0JA

Opening hours: 10am -5pm Fri & Sat, 10am - 4pm Sun 

Accessibility: Fully accessible

A fantastic independent bookstore in the heart of Clapham.

Downloadable itinerary: Balham, Clapham & Battersea

29 Fortis Green Rd, Muswell Hill, London N10 3HP

Opening hours: 9.15am - 5.45pm Fri & Sat, 11am - 4pm Sun 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible, staff assistance on hand for bigger wheelchairs and pushchairs

Perks: 10% discount and free proofs while stocks last on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Winner of Bookshop of the Year and Children's Bookshop of the year in 2024, we are the oldest running children's bookshop in the country. Filled with books from floor to ceiling, our friendly staff are always about to help find the perfect book for any younger reader - or their adults! 

Downloadable itinerary: Haringey

14 Old Town, London SW4 0JY

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Fri, 10am - 4pm Sat, closed Sun 

Accessibility: steps at the front so not wheelchair accessible. 

ChocoLit is a tiny little bookshop bursting with fun book for babies to teens. Our mission is to help each child discover the joy of reading. P.S We also sell delicious chocolates! 

Downloadable itinerary: Balham, Clapham & Battersea

260 Globe Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 0JD

Opening hours: Weds - Sat 12-6pm 

A curation of books and magazines that define the current interplay between art, fashion, and photography.

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

118 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E2 7EE

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Tues - Sun, with late night openings Tues-Friday for our packed event schedule

Accessibility: Shop is completely wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilets. 

Intersectional Queer books

On the Shoreditch & Brick Lane group route

315 Brockley Rd, London SE4 2QZ

Opening hours: 12 - 6 Mon, 10 - 6 Tues, Weds, & Fri - Sun, 10 - 7pm Thurs

Accessibility: Fully accessible

Perks: 10% discount on used books on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Bookshop with trending new literary titles and retro used books and modern classics and rare esoteric. We pride ourselves on creative displays and curated collections whereby we are considered a museum as well as a bookshop! 

61 Cheapside, City of London, London EC2V 6AX

Opening hours: 8am - 7.30pm Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

D

51 S End Rd, London NW3 2QB

9am -6pm Fri & Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun

112-114 Holland Park Ave, London W11 4UA

Opening hours: 9am - 7.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun

84 Marylebone High St, London W1U 4QW

Opening Hours: 9am - 7.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun 

112-114 Holland Park Ave, London W11 4UA

Opening hours: 9am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun

383-387 High St, London E15 4QZ

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Mon - Sun
Perks: 

Small book/gift shop in Discover Children's Story Centre - immersive, exploratory play spaces where children and their imaginations can roam. 

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

75 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH

Opening hours: 11am -6pm Mon -Fri & Sun, 10.30am - 6pm Sat

Donlon Books is an independent bookshop and publisher located at 75 Broadway Market in the diverse creative community of London’s Borough of Hackney

6 Croxted Rd, London SE21 8SW

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 4pm Sun 

Award-winning independent and much loved bookshop, Dulwich Books has been serving the local community for the last 30 years. 

Downloadable itinerary: Herne Hill, Dulwich & Norwood

6 Chiswick High Rd., Chiswick, London W4 1TH

Opening hours: 9.30- 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Step free access to the adults area, children's area is downstairs with no step free access

Perks: 10% discount and free goody bag on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Everybody Reads is dedicated to building community through books. Its a place to pause, breathe, browse, learn, discover, meet, giggle and grow. We are passionate about books and here to help others - adults and children, committed readers and beginners - to move along in their reading journey. We will guide you to the books that are just right for you.

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick & Hammersmith

E

34D Broad St, Teddington TW11 8RF

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sun 

Accessibility: all level access and wheelchair accessible

We are a second-hand charity bookshop located in Teddington. We have a wide selection of books both for children and adults, all kindly donated for the benefit of FARA charity. This means that our selection of stock is ever changing with all sorts of new, old and unique books for sale. We have a strong community presence, believe in learning customer names, and going the extra mile to ensure our fellow bookworms leave happy.
All money raised from these sales goes to FARA charity which helps improve the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people living in Romania.

On the Teddington & Richmond group route

F

74 Chatham Rd, London SW11 6HG

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sun

FARA Clapham Books for Kids, the specialist children’s book shop is a must for all young bibliophiles and a fantastic local resource for parents. With a dazzling range of children’s literature and teen fiction, it is a great place for young ones to fall in love with reading whilst supporting the charity’s programmes in Romania

Welcome pack downloadable itinerary Balham, Clapham & Battersea 

179 Shaftesbury Ave, London WC2H 8JR

New comics, graphic novels, fantasy and science fiction. 

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun

On the Leicester Square & Covent Garden group route

183 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, London, W4 2DR

Opening hours: 10.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Shop online: https://www.fosterbooks.co.uk/

We have been trading as a family from our c18th shop for more than 50 years. We sell old, rare and collectable books from our High Street shop in Chiswick.

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick & Hammersmith

84b Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX

Opening hours: 12pm - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 4pm Sun

Accessibility: Our downstairs shop is ramp accessible via the main entrance

Perks: 

Freedom Bookshop maintains the oldest and largest specialist anarchist bookshop in Britain. Alongside our own extensive back catalogue of classic works we stock thousands of books, newspapers and pamphlets on everything from history to sex, philosophy to workers’ struggles, fiction to anti- fascism, as well as the latest magazines, periodicals and newsletters from all the major anarchist and radical groups.

On Shoreditch & Brick Lane group route

20 Maresfield Gardens, London NW3 5SX

Opening hours: 10.30am - 5.30pm Weds, Sat & Sun, closed Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. 
The final home of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and his daughter Anna Freud, a pioneering child psychoanalyst.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Tues - Sat, 1pm - 6pm Sun, closed Mon

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible 


The UK's Original, Independent LGBT+ Community Bookshop (if it ain't queer, it ain't here)

On Kings Cross group route

G

1 Portsmouth St, London WC2A 2ES

Opening hours: 10am - 7pm Mon - Weds, 10 - 5.30pm Thurs & Fri, 12 - 4pm Sat & Sun 

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible
At The Gilded Acorn, we aspire to be the world’s most sustainable bookshop.

We sell sustainable books, about sustainability, in a sustainable way.

Fiercely independent, we are proud to have served our local communities since 1994

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

23-27 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Fri, 11am - 5pm Sat, closed Sun

Our mission is to provide signed hardback first edition books in our central London bookshop and online; ensuring an expert, knowledgeable team and carefully curated range are at the heart of our business, delivering the best book-buying experience for every customer.

1 Berwick St, W1F 0DR

Opening hours: 10.30am - 7pm Monday - Sunday
Shop online: https://www.goshlondon.com

Accessibility: Ground floor is wheelchair accessible but basement isn't. 

Perks:  10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID
Shop online: https://goshlondon.com/ 

With a 38-year track record in the industry and enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff, Gosh! Comics remains London’s must-visit store for those who love the medium. Our range of graphic novels is second to none, and we’re always striving to source new and interesting product, whatever the genre. From translated European albums to mainstream superhero antics; stylish children’s books to contemporary graphic fiction; compulsively readable manga to cutting edge small press: we’ve got something for everyone.

On Leicester Square & Covent Garden group route

277 Greenwich High Rd, London SE10 8NB

Remainder books
Opening hours: 10.30am - 6pm Mon - Sun 

Downloadable itinerary: Greenwich & Blackheath

112 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5EJ

Opening hours: Fri - Sun 11am - 4.30pm

Accessibility: Ground floor is accessible to wheelchair users but lower floors aren't

Guanghwa Bookshop on Shaftsbury Avenue has been a destination for travelling book lovers since it was founded in 1971. It has long-served as a literary hub for Chinese residents of London, tourists, oriental enthusiasts, and even notable academics.

Today, over 5000 tomes of all stripes are sold at Guanghwa, from novels, prose, herbal medicine and martial arts, to history and philosophy. English speakers will delight in their beautiful coffee-table worthy art books and Chinese language learning aids. They sell beautifully illustrated children’s books too and welcome Chinese authors for book signings.

Guanghwa is also an arts and crafts supplier, retailing all manner of exquisite traditional Asian calligraphy accoutrements, delicate handmade paper cuttings, postcards and stationery.

Far more than just a bookshop, Guanghwa is an all-round Chinese culture centre hosting regular art workshops and other cultural events.

With an extensive network of suppliers across Asia, Guanghwa is lucky enough to source super rare and unusual titles and products from all over the Far East, so you’re guaranteed to discover something unique.

On Leicester Square & Covent Garden group route

H

266 Lee High Rd, London SE13 5PL

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri, closed Sat & Sun 

We are an established family-run secondhand bookshop in Lee. We have 40,000 books available in our shop or online for home delivery. We have books to suit all tastes and budgets. We also buy and sell postcards and records. Our shop on Lee High Road has books, coffee and a selection of specialty teas available. You also can benefit from free Wi-Fi. 

Downloadable itinerary: Greenwich & Blackheath

187 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LE

Opening hours: 9.30am - 8pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun 

Accessibility: Lift is currently being rebuilt until the end of April

The oldest bookshop in the UK, we have been a haunt of the literary world since Jane Austen bought The Castle of Otranto from us. Hatchards has five floors of books with great fiction, art, children's and history, and an extensive events programme.

On Leicester Square & Covent Garden group route

72 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0BB

Opening hours: 10.30am - 7.30pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun 

Henry Pordes Books is a bookshop specialising in rare, modern and antiquarian books. 

289 Railton Rd, London SE24 0LY

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Tues - Sat, 10am - 4pm Sun, closed Mon 

Accessibility: Small but step free access throughout

We are Herne Hill Books, little sister of Clapham Books. We are small but we contain wonders!

Downloadable itinerary: Herne Hill, Dulwich & Norwood

174 Blackstock Rd, London N5 1HA

Opening hours: 11am - 5pm Sun - Fri, 9.30am - 6pm Sat

Accessibility: not wheelchair accessible

House of Hodge is one of London’s best-loved secondhand bookshops: a treasure trove of wall-to-wall books, each one curated to fit into this tiny slice of paradise. The impressive selection ranges from contemporary fiction, to the classics, through to unusual history tomes, seminal works in psychology and current affairs, graphic novels, traditional craft books and a remarkable range of art and photography.

 

Downloadable itinerary: Arsenal, Dalston & Hoxton 

5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DY

Opening hours: 11am - 6.30pm Fri & Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun

Accessibility: main shop floor is wheelchair accessible, back section of the shop has two steps and downstairs is not accessible.

Shop online: www.housmans.com/shop.

Housmans Bookshop is an historic radical bookseller based in King's Cross since 1959, specialising in feminism, anarchism, socialism, anti-racism, green politics and much more. We also stock fiction, poetry, children's books, magazines, zines, badges and posters.

On Kings Cross group route

99 East Rd, London N1 6AQ

Opening hours: 11am - 7pm Tues - Sun, closed Mon 

A small bookshop tacked on to a gallery, Tabula Rasa, through which one has to enter to get to. It is accessible to wheelchair users and we also welcome canines. We mainly stock literary fiction and serious non-fiction as well some books on art and the art world as a result of sharing our space with a gallery. Our shelving is somewhat unorthodox as we might shelve books along the reading choices of a particular personality like Barack Obama or Elena Ferrante; or by titles that have all won the same literary prize etc... We do hold events however they're quite ad hoc, especially in the current situation. Recent highlights include the launch of Lobsters by Wayne Holloway-Smith, a talk on Fernando Pessoa's Book of Disquiet and a discussion on Taiwanese Cinema... Follow us on instagram and twitter using the handle @hoxtonbooks

Downloadable itinerary: Arsenal, Dalston & Hoxton

Ranelagh Gardens, 91 Fulham High St, London SW6 3JS

Opening hours: 9am - 6pm Mon - Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat & Sun 

Accessibility: not wheelchair accessible

We like to claim that Hurlingham Books is possibly the oldest independent bookshop in South West London. The owner, Ray Cole was inspired to open the shop in 1968. His love of books, and people means that, to this day, he's still the first to open our doors every morning! If you love books as much as he does, our shop is the place to visit.

We have a huge warehouse in Fulham , 10 mins from the bookshop, where we hold over 2 million books. Also by appointment open to view. 

202 Preston Rd, Wembley HA9 8PA

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun 

Accessibility: fully accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs 

'At IHRC Bookshop and Gallery we have something for everyone. Our books include children's titles, politics, history, poetry, economics, philosophy as well as a special focus on decolonial and religious studies.
We also have artwork, poster prints and original art pieces from around the world. You can find us on Twitter at @ihrcbookshop and Instagram at ihrc.org.uk.

 

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge
 

I

84 Highbury Park, London N5 2XE

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Big step to get in but step free access and accessible toilets once inside.

Perks: Free bookmarks and a talk about the shop
 
Amenities: Cafe/bar serving drinks, small (cold) toilet

WE LOVE STORIES...and suspect you do too. We don't want you to forget what a good independent bookshop looks, feels and smells like: nor do we want you to forget the tiny, perfect pleasure of browsing a stunning array of brand new books. We believe that books should be beautiful and so should our shop: it should be warm, well-lit, welcoming and a little bit buzzy, a place that makes you pause and smile when you walk through the front door. Come and see us soon. Ink@84 opened in December 2015 and is the love-child of the artist Tessa Shaw and the author Betsy Tobin. 

Downloadable itinerary: Arsenal, Dalston & Hoxton

247 Globe Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 0HU

Opening hours: 12pm - 6pm Mon - Fri, 10.30-5.30pm Sat, Closed Sun

Welcome to Jambala, the London Buddhist Centre's second hand bookshop and a right livelihood business. We sell all kinds of second hand books, records, CDs, DVDs, videos and cassettes. We also sell cards, jewellery (costume, gold and silver), bric-a-brac and some musical instruments.

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

J

10 Blacklands Terrace, London SW3 2SR

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun (CLOSED FOR STOCKTAKE ON SUNDAY 16TH FEBRUARY)

Accessibility: People with pushchairs and wheelchair users usually find navigating our main floor quite easy, although there is a step that divides two of the rooms. Unfortunately, however, owing to the age and size of the shop upstairs and downstairs are not accessible. We are happy for people to leave pushchairs on the main floor.

Perks: Free bookmarks with purchases

John Sandoe opened his tiny Chelsea shop in 1957 with Félicité Gwynne, sister of the cookery writer Elizabeth David. We now occupy the two adjacent old shops too, with room for some 30,000 titles. Books are everywhere. An old customer, recollecting the shop’s earliest days, said that Sandoe’s had “all the books one could ever hope to find in one place”: the shop has grown but the ethos remains the same.

Downloadable itinerary: Kensington & Chelsea

82 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AG

Opening hours: 11am - 7pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun 

Accessibility: Level access but congested inside

Perks: Free sweeties with purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID card

We have been trading over two floors in this shop for over 30 years selling secondhand and remaindered books on the Arts and Social Sciences

On Kings Cross group route

1-3 Flask Walk, London NW3 1HJ

Opening hours: 11am - 5pm Mon - Sun 

Keith Fawkes secondhand bookshop and antique store is located on the delightful Flask Walk in London's charming Hampstead neighborhood. A former chemist shop and greengrocer's, Keith Fawkes is filled with used books of every description. The owner Mr Fawkes, a direct descendent of Guy, has a passion for archaeology, history, antiques, and books. The iconic shop with its engaging sidewalk and shopfront displays has been trading for nearly six decades.

Downloadable itinerary: West Hampstead & Hampstead Heath

K

1-2 Station Approach, London TW9 3QB

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Situated in the leafy little enclave of local shops in Kew Village, The Kew Bookshop has an amazing selection of books for such a small shop, and more – stationery, gift wrap and even tote bags for all those lovely books!

On Teddington & Richmond group route

272 Kirkdale, London SE26 4RS

Opening hours: 9am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 12-4pm Sun

Kirkdale Bookshop is probably the oldest independent bookshop in South East London, having opened in 1966! We have gradually expanded over the years and now have an extensive range of new and second-hand books over two floors, as well as a children’s section at the back of the shop. Apart from books, we have a beautiful range of greetings cards and wrapping paper alongside an excellent and ever changing selection of gifts, including candles, bookmarks, mugs, soaps & hand creams. Our book selection caters to all readers and we try and keep it well stocked with books that reflect the world around us by supporting and stocking works by authors of colour and LGBTQIA+ authors.

Downloadable itinerary: Lewisham & Crystal Palace

9 Mortlake Terrace, Richmond TW9 3DT

Opening hours: 10am - 4pm Tues - Fri, 10am - 5pm Sat, closed Sun & Mon 

Accessibility: not wheelchair or pushchair accessible due to size. 

Perks: 10% discount on books on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Lloyds of Kew is lined floor to ceiling with vintage books, from second hand paperback fiction to rare and beautiful hardcover volumes. The perfect place to browse for an unusual gift for a booklover, or just to find that excellent read.

On Teddington & Richmond group route

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65 Hanbury St, London E1 5JL

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Tues - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun 
Shop online: https://www.libreria-subscribe.com/shop

Every aspect of Libreria is designed to help you discover new books and ideas, and encourage interdisciplinary thinking.

On Shoreditch & Brick Lane group route

Unit 7, Holdrons Arcade, 135A Rye Ln, London SE15 4ST

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Thurs - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun, closed Mon - Weds

Indie Pan-African bookstore that specialises in books by authors of African and Caribbean heritage.

On Brixton & Peckham group route

14-16 Bury Pl, London WC1A 2JL

Opening hours: 10am - 6.30pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun 

Opened in 2003 by the London Review of Books in the heart of Bloomsbury, just a Rosetta Stone’s throw from the British Museum, the London Review Bookshop has now established itself as an essential part of the capital’s cultural life, a place for people who love books to meet, talk, drink excellent tea and coffee, consume delicious food from the cake shop, and of course, browse.

Our selection of around 20,000 titles ranges from the classics of world literature to the cutting edge of contemporary fiction and poetry, not forgetting a copious display of history, politics, philosophy, cookery, essays, children’s books, science and natural history.

Our aim has always been to represent on our shelves the distinctive character of the Review – intelligent without being pompous; engaged without being partisan; fun without being frivolous.

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

M

46 Curzon St, London W1J 7UH

48 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DR

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5pm Mon - Fri, closed sat & Sun 

Established in 1853, Maggs Bros. Ltd. is one of the world’s largest antiquarian booksellers. Serious about books without being stuffy, we are proud of our traditions and history but are continually looking to the future. We embrace the new age of information technology, and combine with it a continuity which has seen us deal with successive generations of collectors and with libraries over many decades

196A Piccadilly, London W1J 9EY

Opening hours: 10.30am - 7pm Mon - Wed, 10.30am - 9pm Thurs - Sat, 12 - 6pm Sun 

Originally a banking hall designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1922, the Grade II–listed building is now home to the Assouline cultural lifestyle hub. Browse the expertly curated bookshelves filled with the latest Assouline releases and rare first editions of classic titles and discover monthly pop-up themed exhibitions.

On Leicester Square & Covent Gdn group route

16 Cecil Ct, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2N 4HE

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6.30pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun 
Shop online: https://www.marchpanebooks.com/

Marchpane opened in August 1989 and is the premier specialist in collectable children's and illustrated books in London. We have books from the eighteenth century to the present day; and one of the largest selections of books by and about Lewis Carroll with many hundreds of different illustrated and translated versions of Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking-Glass on our shelves. 

43 Holland St, London SE1 9JR

Opening hours: 12pm - 4pm Mon - Sun 

We specialise in out of print, second-hand and rare books on 20th century and contemporary art, photography, architecture and design; including monographs, exhibition catalogues, artists’ books, private view invitation cards, ephemera, periodicals, prints, posters and original artworks.

As well as rare and unique items ranging from £10 to £3000 we always have a constantly changing stock of inexpensive publications starting at £1.

On South Bank group route

126 Norwood High St, Norwood, London SE27 9NH

Accessibility: Step at the front of the shop 

Melanin Dreams Bookstore is a literary haven that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. Our carefully curated collection of books shines a spotlight on black and brown protagonists, offering readers a rich tapestry of stories that reflect their own experiences and open windows into new worlds. From powerful narratives that explore identity and culture to whimsical tales that ignite the imagination, we believe that every child should find themselves within the pages of a book. Step into Melanin Magic Bookstore and embark on a journey where the magic of melanin takes center stage, one story at a time.

Downloadable itinerary: Herne Hill, Dulwich and Norwood

1A Morocco St, London SE1 3HB

Opening hours: 10am - 7pm Mon, 10am - 10pm Tues & Wed, 10am - 11pm Thurs & Fri, 11am - 11pm Sat, 11am-7pm Sun

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Morocco Bound is a community focussed, independent bookshop/beer shop/events space in Bermondsey, South East London. We host many events led by a range of creatives such as musicians, authors, poets and artists, creating a supportive environment whilst connecting a local network of collaborators and friends. 

On South Bank group route 

300 Stanstead Rd, London SE23 1DE

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 4pm Sun 

Accessibility: Step free access throughout

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card

We aim to stock a fully integrated range of books in our shop, reflecting London's diverse population in terms of gender, ethnicity, class, disability, socio-economic status, sexual-orientation and culture.

The range will develop as a work in progress, highlighting the best books that are currently available and helping to support emerging authors and illustrators from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. 

Downloadable itinerary: Lewisham & Crystal Palace

National Theatre, London SE1 9PX

Opening hours: 10am - 9.30pm Tues - Fri, 10am - 6pm Sat & Mon, closed Sun 

Every purchase supports the work of the National Theatre. Shop from the latest plays, books on theatre and the performing-arts, as well as unique gifts

On South Bank group route

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76 Stroud Green Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3EN

Opening hours: 12pm - 6pm Fri - Sun, closed Mon - Thurs

Bookseller with works from Caribbean, Black British, African and African American authors.

Downloadable itinerary: Haringey 

743-745 Barking Rd, London E13 9ER

Opening hours: 10am -5pm Tues - Sat, closed Sun & Mon 

Accessibility: Step free access throughout
 
We are 45 years old this year and have served the community , people , schools and charities all that time

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

781 Fulham Rd., London SW6 5HA

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun

Accessibility: fully accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs but no accessible toilets

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Shop online: https://nomadbooks.co.uk/shop/

Award-winning independent bookshop based in Fulham, London. Female owned and operated, Nomad Books has been a proud part of the local neighbourhood since 1990. We have gathered a strong community of regulars and friends along the way, and continue to evolve with the changing needs of our customers. The beautiful main room is full of recommendations to inspire you, and our children’s section is spacious, fun, and comfortable, with regular events for kids. Our staff love to talk about books, and are here to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

We are proud to have won best London Bookshop in the British Book Awards 2023, and shortlisted for best Children’s Bookshop in 2019.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

32 Pembridge Rd, London W11 3HN

Opening hours: 10am - 8pm Mon - Sun 

Accessibility: not accessible for wheelchair users

Perks:

An eclectic store with a wide range of bargain as well as rare and hard-to-find second-hand books and comics.

On Notting Hill group route

13 Blenheim Cres, London W11 2EE

Opening hours: 9am - 7pm Mon - Sun 

Accessibility: accessible for one wheelchair at a time due to narrow aisles

Perks: free bookmark with purchase on production of bookshop crawl ID card
 
Located in the heart of beautiful Notting Hill, minutes from the vibrant Portobello Market is the world famous Notting Hill Bookshop.

These days we concentrate on beautiful gift editions, irresistible pocket hardbacks, satin-bound classics and a wide range of golden gilt leather-bounds.

Another area of special focus is the children's section, housed under a charming glass roof in a cosy part of the shop. We take pride in our wide range of carefully curated titles as well as educational toys and gifts. We strongly believe in encouraging readership early and our staff is always at hand to offer advice to children and parents alike.

In 1999 the bookshop became famous after its interior had been copied in the Notting Hill film featuring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. Ever since the premiere we've enjoyed visits from thousands of fans of the film coming from all over the world. 

On the Notting Hill group route

10 King St, Richmond TW9 1ND

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

We are an independent bookshop in Richmond, since 1987.

We have a large range of stock, and can also order books over the phone (020 8940 1802), by email (theopenbook@btconnect.com), or in person. 

On Teddington & Richmond group route

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207-209 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2JU

Opening hours: 9am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun 

The Owl Bookshop is a well established general bookshop in Kentish Town selling a good range of current and classic titles. With a large children's section the Owl is popular with local families and schools.

On Kentish Town & Camden group route

166 Balham High Rd, London SW12 9BW

Opening hours: 10am -6pm Fri & Sat, closed Sun. 


The shop has a good selection of all sorts of books, with additional back room stock available to view by appointment. 

Wheelchair accessible. 

Downloadable itinerary: Balham, Clapham & Battersea

Bloomsbury Plaza, 12 Bloomsbury St, London WC1B 3QA

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Thurs & Sat, 10.30am - 6.30pm Fri, 12pm - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: level access but narrow aisles, high shelves and tight corners

Perks: 
Shop online: https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/

Oxfam Bloomsbury is Oxfam's flagship bookshop, in the very heart of literary London. The shop is barely a minute away from the British Museum and five minutes from Soho. We offer a huge range, with a large specialist art section, rare and collectable, academic, fiction and CDs and vinyl to name but a few. Oxfam is the UK's largest second hand bookseller and we have something for everyone, so come and browse!

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

89 Camden High St, London NW1 7JL

Opening hours: 11am - 5pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun 

Accessibility: Accessible for wheelchair users

Perks: talk about the shop and behind the scenes tour (dependent on space) on production of bookshop crawl ID card

We opened in September last year, previously being an Oxfam that sold clothes and bric-a-brac. Converting the shop, which was entirely volunteer-run for over a year, has been a huge process – from physical aspects like removing thousands of items of clothing and changing the shelving, to building up our team and training them to price, sort and sell books – but getting to create the shop and watch it flourish is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ask for. We’ve been really lucky to have taken on dozens of brilliant new volunteers, as well as the team members from before who stuck around and helped literally build the shop, but we’re always looking to expand: since we converted we’ve gone from opening 4 days a week to 7 and have recently started selling online too!

On Kentish Town & Camden group route

22 Park Rd, London N8 8TD

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Fully accessible

The best place in Crouch End for pre-loved books, plus CD's, vinyl and DVD's. Come and browse our great collection, from popular crime fiction to graphic novels and kids' classics to exploring the history of London. We are wheelchair accessible and follow up to the minute Covid advice.

Downloadable itinerary: Haringey

1 The Grn, London W5 5DA

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 4pm Sun 

Perks: 
We are a secondhand bookshop located in Ealing. Explore our like new, preloved, vintage & collectible books, where you will find something for everyone!

Accessibility: We are completely wheelchair friendly and dog friendly.

Downloadable itinerary: 65 bus route

2 College Approach, London SE10 9HY

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Fri & Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Step free access throughout 

Perks: Cake for bookshop crawlers on production of bookshop crawl ID card

Situated in historic Greenwich next to the Cutty Sark and famous Greenwich market we are a small shop with a big heart and lots of interesting second hand books on offer. From newly published fiction to antique books and EVERYTHING in between. The donations we get in this area are FANTASTIC and enable us to offer fresh exciting books every week from manga to poetry to knitting and more! We are staffed by fabulous volunteers who recently won an award for top volunteer team in London and the SE (out of approx 180 shops)

Downloadable itinerary: Greenwich & Blackheath

45 Heath St, London NW3 6UA

Opening hours: 10.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 1pm - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Shop is wheelchair accessible. 

We are a small and cosy charity bookshop situated next to the beautiful Hampstead Heath and a dozen lovely high street cafes. Thanks to our superb location, we receive loads of donations from the local residents and pride ourselves on a large selection of good quality second-hand art, antiquarian, fiction, travel, cookery, history and children’s books. We also have a music department stocking CDs, DVDs, Sheet Music and a good quality vinyl selection of various genres. Being a part of Oxfam family of charity shops, we have affordable prices, noble goals behind our business and a dedicated team of volunteers, who are passionate about literature, always happy to chat and will be delighted to look after your dog while you are browsing. 

Downloadable itinerary: West Hampstead & Hampstead Heath

20 Half Moon Ln, London SE24 9HU

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Fri, 11am - 4pm Sat & Sun 

A bight and vibrant space full of interesting and beautiful books! Our staff and volunteers are committed to presenting the best of the wonderful donations that we receive. Our shop is full of brilliant preloved books, as well as Oxfam sourced cards and new products. All our work supports Oxfam projects locally and internationally. Come and visit us and find your next special book today!

Downloadable itinerary: Herne Hill, Dulwich & Norwood

47 Highgate High St, London N6 5JX

Opening hours: 10.30am -5.30pm Tues - Sat, 11am -4pm Sun, closed Mon 

We are a warm and friendly village second hand bookshop, run by people who are passionate about books and music. Our stock covers a wide range of titles both fictional and factual, with our key areas being: Art, Rare Books/Collectables, Classic Literature, Fiction, History, Cookery and Children's Books. The shop also has a good Music section, selling Rock/Pop/Jazz and Classical vinyl, CDs and DVDs, plus Sheet Music and Scores. We stock a great range of greetings cards and also stock Fairtrade chocolate.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

48 Upper St, London N1 0PN

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11.30am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Ground floor is wheelchair accessible

Perks: Some discounts and a behind the scenes tour - book-crawlers could have a go at sorting their own books and see if they can un-earth a hidden gem!

We are a quirky London town house full of beautiful , eclectic second hand books; from the newest BookTok offering to specialist poetry, art or children's books and everything in between!

166 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2AG

Opening hours: 9.30am -5.30pm Mon - Fri, 9.30am - 4.30pm Sat & Sun 

On Kentish Town & Camden group route

30 Old London Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6QF

Accessibility: front of the shop is level access. back of the shop is not accessible. 

We are Kingston's only Used Bookshop - filled to the brim with hundreds of quality hardbacks, paperbacks, graphic novels, audio books and vinyl / CDs / DVDs. We have a great selection of fiction and non-fiction, which is constantly refreshed. Stop by and check out our selection! We look forward to welcoming you!

​Downloadable itinerary: 65 bus route

378 Muswell Hill Broadway, Muswell Hill, London N10 1DJ

Opening Hours: 10.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Downloadable itinerary: Haringey

170 Portobello Rd, London W11 2EB

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, closed Sun

Accessibility: not wheelchair accessible

Perks: Free postcard of your choice with every purchase on production of bookshop crawl ID card. 

Welcome to the Portobello Road Oxfam Bookshop! Discover hidden treasures, classic favourites, and perhaps something you didn't realise you wanted...

On Notting Hill group route

90 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, London W4 1QN

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 5pm Sun 

One of the best Oxfam Bookshops in London, fabulous fiction, art and kids with a variety of other genres. We also stock vinyl and CDs.

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick & Hammersmith

34 Strutton Ground, London SW1P 2HR

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12.30 - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible 

Perks: Free tote bags with spends of £20+ and small refreshments on production of bookshop crawl ID cards. 

We are a second-hand books & music shop in the heart of Westminster. We specialise in history, art, politics & antiquarian, but we have all the current fiction, and, of course, all the classics too. Additionally, we sell select homewares and consumables, all brand-new, as part of our Sourced By Oxfam range.

1, Clock House Parade, High Street Wanstead, London E11 2AG

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 10am - 5pm Sun 

70 Lower Clapton Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0RN

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Mon - Fri & Sun, 10am - 6pm Sat

Accessibility: Ground floor is wheelchair accessible, basement is not. 

Opened in 2008, Pages of Hackney is a small award-winning bookshop on the Lower Clapton Road. We sell an eclectic mix of books in the areas of literary fiction, politics, feminism, essays and life writing as well as philosophy, psychology, nature writing, music and children’s books. Our priority is to be a friendly, welcoming community bookshop that feels accessible and inclusive: we want each customer to feel that the bookshop is for them, and we do our best to give our customers individually as much time and thought as we can. It’s also important to us to support the issues and authors we believe in, and to give a platform to marginalised voices in publishing.

Since 2015, our basement has been home to Fields Books and features an incredible selection of second-hand books carefully curated by Patrick Mills, who specialises in crime fiction in addition to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction areas.

Downloadable Itinerary: Hackney & Bow

P

18 Calvert Ave, London E2 7JP

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun

Our award-winning social enterprise coffee shop serves specialty coffee, tea, and snacks.

It’s also a training ground for the next generation of baristas. Our training programme for people in recovery from addiction helps them learn new skills, gain work experience and move closer to a more fulfilling way of life.

We also sell a curated selection of second-hand & vintage items including clothes, books, homeware, and accessories.

All profits support people in recovery from addiction & homelessness.

On Shoreditch & Brick Lane group route

Ham Parade, 406 Richmond Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5PU

Opening hours: 10am -6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: fully accessible

Perks: 10% discount on books on production of bookshop crawl ID card

I opened the shop in November 2020 during the pandemic. It was a realisation of a 40 year dream. We are a general independent book, the only one in Kingston Upon Thames located on the border of Richmond and Kingston. We have Ham house and the Richmond Park nearby.

Downloadable itinerary: 65 bus route 

25 Half Moon Ln, London SE24 9JU

Accessibility: The main are of our shop is accessible with a small step at our front door that can be managed by wheelchairs and pushchairs. Our small back room is up 4 steps so is not accessible

 

Perks: 10% discount (and a biscuit!) on production of bookshop crawl ID

Based in the heart of Herne Hill -The Paper Cat is a new independent children's bookshop providing beautiful and inclusive books for every stage of childhood.

Downloadable itinerary: Herne Hill, Dulwich & Norwood

159 Francis Rd, London E10 6NT

Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm Mon & Tues, Thurs - Sun, closed Weds 

Accessibility: fully accessible for wheelchair users. 

Once upon a time, in a different location and with a different generation, Phlox was born.

Re-established in 2017, our aim is to socialise and ‘derarify’ bookshops. We live by the ‘books.booze.coffee’ mantra and have paired our curated books with locally roasted Allpress Coffee, craft beers and natural wines! Come and say hi! 

Downloadable itinerary: Waltham Forest

10 Middle Ln, London N8 8PL

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Sun 

Accessibility: Step free access throughout, including to events space at the back of the shop 

Perks: Free goodie bags & 10% discount with purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Pickled Pepper Books is a children’s specialist bookshop and events space hosting authors, illustrators, classes and theatre daily!

Downloadable itinerary: Haringey

141 Pitshanger Ln, London W5 1RH

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Tues - Fri, 10am - 4pm Sat, closed Sun 

Our independent bookshop is located on lovely, leafy Pitshanger Lane. We stock over 3000 titles, and can order hundreds of thousands more in just 24 hours.

Lush Spa, Floor 1, 175-179 Oxford St, London W1D 2JS

Opening hours: 10am - 9pm Mon - Sat, 12 - 6pm Sun 

Accessibility: via a lift (we are on the first floor of Lush on Oxford Street)

The Poetry Pharmacy stocks books of poetry, philosophy, psychology and nature, all with an emphasis on the promotion of good mental health. It hosts a range of literary events, including bespoke typewriter poetry and book launch parties. It has its own Dispensary Coffee Shop which serves freshly ground coffee, a range of delightful teas and delicious cakes. It's located on the first floor of Lush on Oxford Street.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

134 Regent's Park Rd, London NW1 8XL

Opening hours: 9.30am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am  -6pm Sun 

Primrose Hill Books is one of London’s leading independent bookshop, established as a family business for more than thirty years.

On Kentish Town & Camden group route

90 Hoe St, London E17 4QS

Opening hours: 10-6pm Saturday 10 - 4pm Sunday 

Public Knowledge Books is a distributor of books and magazines, working with eminent and emerging international publishers. Our fields of interest range from Architecture to Poetry, Activism to Food. We champion underground culture, under-represented and minority voices.

Downloadable itinerary: Waltham Forest

5a Bloomsbury Square, London WC1A 2TA

Opening hours: 10am - 9pm Friday, 10am - 5pm Saturday, closed Sunday

Accessibility: No step free access

Perks: 

The Pushkin House Bookshop is the first English/Russian bilingual bookshop in the UK. We share a carefully curated range of books which is unique among independent bookshops in the UK.

 

Our English-language section specialises in culture, history, politics, visual arts and literature in translation from Russia, Ukraine, the Baltics, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Our new Russian-language section includes classic & contemporary literature, non-fiction and children's books. 


The bookshop is part of Pushkin House, an arts, cultural and social space that explores, challenges and debates Russian culture and identity today.

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

87 Salusbury Rd, London NW6 6NH

Opening hours: 9am -7pm Mon - Fri, 9am -6.30pm Sat, 10am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.

Since 1994 we’ve been selling, recommending and drooling over books. Fiercely independent and family-owned, we place excellent service at the epicentre of all our offerings, from regular free author talks to book launches, reading groups and schools events.
We pride ourselves on our recommendations, from what to read on the beach, who’s hip, who’s not, how to kick-start the imagination of a child or set up baby’s little library.

Downloadable itinerary: West Hampstead & Hampstead Heath

Q

679 High Rd. Leyton, London E10 6RA

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm Weds - Sat, closed Sun - Tues 

Quinto Bookshop is a bricks and mortar bookshop in East London. We sell second hand and collectible books. Most subjects are covered, but we are especially strong on literature (both paperbacks and first and rare editions), music and photography.
We are proud of our history as a renowned second hand bookshop, trading many years on the famous Charing Cross Road. In 2020 the Charing Cross Road shop closed down. After a period of trading online only, we opened our new premises in June 2024.

Downloadable Itinerary: Waltham Forest

26 Red Lion St, Richmond TW9 1RW

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Comics shop

R

131 Bellenden Rd, London SE15 4QY

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm Tues - Sat, 11-5pm Sun

Accessibility: front room is accessible by wheelchair and pushchair. Back room has one step up. 

Perks: free bookmark


review is a generalist with a focus on contemporary literary fiction and the best of the rest!

On Brixton & Peckham group route

15, Hay's Galleria, Tooley St, London SE1 2QN

Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Fri, 10am - 6pm Saturday, 11am - 5pm Sunday 

Accessibility: Ground floor has step free access  and staff can assist with anything from upstairs. 

Perks: Extra stamps on loyalty card on production of bookshop crawl ID

The Riverside Bookshop is a proudly independent bookshop in London Bridge established in 1987. We stock a mix of new releases and your favourite fiction, nonfiction, classics, poetry, and children’s titles. We also offer a broad and fun selection of cards, gift wraps, and Jellycat toys.

On South Bank group route

73 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS

Opening hours: 11am - 5.30pm Mon - Fri & Sun, 9.30am - 5.30pm Sat

It all started with a party
It’s true. The original bookshop was a pop-up to celebrate KNIGHTS OF turning one year – the team wanted to do something unique - and an inclusive pop-up on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton opened for a week. The response was overwhelming – loudest was the call for a permanent space - after a crowdfund caught the imagination of readers across the world, we began planning how to launch a permanent store. 

On Brixton & Peckham group route

47 N Cross Rd, London SE22 9ET

Opening hours: 10am  -5pm Mon - Sat, 10am - 4pm Sun 

Cafe Bookshop, opened in 2011, come by and have a coffee! Bookshop dog named George. 

On Brixton & Peckham group route

73 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS

Opening hours: 11.30am - 5pm Mon - Fri, 11.30am - 6pm Sat, closed Sun 

Accessibility: High step at the entrance.

Shalimar Books is the leading distributor of South Asian books in the UK.

With over 50 years of specialisation, our long association with publishers and distributors in India and the UK enables us to provide an extensive range on all subjects, and from a wide range of publishers.

We supply books to schools, libraries and bookshops, and directly to the public at our bookshop in London as well as through our website: www.indianbooksuk.com
We also offer a unique collection of fair-trade Indian art, textiles and handmade craft products at our showroom.

S

66 The Brunswick off, Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AE

Opening hours: 10.30am - 7.30pm Mon - Sat, 10.30am - 6pm Sun 
Shop online: www.skoob.com

Accessibility: Basement shop accessible by lift

Perks: 10% discount on purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Skoob Books is a basement shop in the Brunswick centre, in the heart of literary Bloomsbury. Our closest tube stations are King’s Cross St Pancras and Russell Square.
Supported by an enormous warehouse in Oxfordshire, we curate the stock carefully to offer an appealing balance of academic material in the arts, sciences and humanities, as well as a hefty selection of fiction and poetry.
Every day in second hand bookselling is an adventure, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. If you follow us on Instagram you know everything about our biscuit feuds and days out in our van (and if you don’t already, you should follow us @skoobbookslondon).

On Kings Cross group route

40 Chiswick Ln, Chiswick, London W4 2JQ

Opening hours: 1 - 6pm Thurs & Fri, 11 - 5pm Sat 

Accessibility: There is a small step to negotiate at the front door 

Perks: tea and a short talk about the bookshop's story on production of bookshop crawl ID card

The Small Library Company Bookshop opened in Chiswick in 2024 and sells high quality second hand books covering History, Biography, Art, Fiction, Literature, Philosophy and Aviation. We are open on Thursdays (1-6), Fridays (1-6) and Saturdays (11-5). We are small and friendly and if you come a long way to see us we will make you a cup of tea! We have around 4,000 books in stock and about 1,600 online at www.thesmalllibrary.co.uk.

Downloadable itinerary: Chiswick & Hammersmith

239A Fulham Rd., London SW3 6HY

Opening hours: 11am - 7pm Tues - Sat, Closed Sun & Mon 

We are antiquarian and rare booksellers based in central London. We have been established for forty years and specialise in English and Continental books printed before and up to the mid 1600s, as well as medieval and renaissance manuscripts. We are known for the accuracy and depth of our descriptions and for the quality of our copies, usually in contemporary or fine bindings

Downloadable itinerary: Kensington & Chelsea

18 Upper Brook St, London W1K 7PU

Opening hours: 9.30am - 6pm Mon - Fri, 10am - 4pm Sat, closed Sun. 

One of the longest established antiquarian booksellers in the world, founded in 1761.

Waterloo Bridge, London SE1 8TX

Opening hours: 10am - 7pm daily 

First opened on 2 July 1983, the South Bank Book Market was the brainchild of Leslie Hardcastle, the then controller of the BFI. Conceived to bring some life to the dark and empty space beneath Waterloo Bridge, the market has been present ever since, becoming part of the Southbank Centre in 2001.

The Book Market is made up of a collection of eight different stalls, whose wares range from contemporary fiction and children’s books, to vintage and antiquarian editions, and also maps, prints and postcards.

On South Bank group route

22 Thurloe St, South Kensington, London SW7 2LT

Opening hours: 10am - 8pm Mon - Fri, 11am - 7pm Sat, 12pm - 7pm Sun

Accessibility: Fully accessible

Independent bookshop in the heart of South Kensington. A great range of books particularly in Art, History with a great 3 for £12 fiction section. A lot of books offered at reduced prices and a great mix of quirky and literary offerings.

Downloadable itinerary: Kensington & Chelsea

65 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH

Opening hours: closed Mon, 12 - 6pm Tues (gallery closed), 12 - 9pm Weds, 12 - 6pm Thurs & Fri, 11 - 6pm Sat & Sun (gallery 12 - 6pm) 
Cafe & public toilets
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible but small

Perks: Discount in the shop on production of bookshop crawl ID card

An independent bookshop located within the free-to-access South London Gallery, between Peckham and Camberwell, since 2010. We sell fiction and poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, philosophy, political writing, children’s books, SLG publications, artists' editions and the broadest range of independently published literature we can manage. In addition, we stock gifts and stationery, where we try to prioritise local makers.

7 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA

Opening hours: 9am -6pm Mon - Weds, 9am -7pm Thurs - Sat, 12pm - 6pm Sun

Accessibility: Fully  wheelchair and pushchair accessible. Lift to access basement, please ask a staff member for help with this. 

 

Perks: 15% discount in shop and cafe on produciton of bookshop crawl ID

Covent Garden bookshop established in 1853 specialising in maps and travel books. We have been an essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike for more than a century. Our roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes.

On Leicester Square & Covent Garden group route

159 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 0NY

Opening hours: 10am -6pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Accessibility: fully wheelchair accessible. 

Perks: 10% discount on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

We are an award-winning independent bookshop that has been serving the people of Stoke Newington since 1987! That's got to be long enough to be considered an institution, right? We stock all the latest releases, classics, a broad selection of kid's fiction and non-fiction, along with toys, calendars, diaries, puzzles...basically, if it involves paper, it's likely we'll have it. Except for papers.

Downloadable itinerary: Hackney & Bow

20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2TH

Opening hours: Friday 9.30am - 5pm, Saturday (BOOKSHOP CRAWL SPECIAL OPENING) 10am - 5pm

Accessibilty: Assisted wheelchair access via a ramp from the street which can be installed as required from the street entrance. 

Perks: Free access to exhibition 
Shop online:  https://www.swedenborg.org.uk/bookshop/.

The Swedenborg Society was set up in 1810 to translate the works of Swedish philosopher and scientist Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborg House has been in Bloomsbury since 1925 and contains all of Swedenborg's writings and books of those inspired by his works, as well as archives and a gallery. 

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

6 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4HE

Opening hours: 12pm - 6pm Tues - Sat, closed Sun & Mon

Tenderbooks is a space for independent publishing in Cecil Court, WC2.

The bookshop commissions a programme of regular events including signings, performance and installations by contemporary artists working with printed matter in expanded forms. We also curate displays of rare avant-garde print and ephemera.

T

33 Store St, London WC1E 7BS

Opening hours: 12pm - 7pm Mon - Sun 

Accessibility: Step free access throughout

Perks: Free box of signature 'dragonsblood' incense with purchases on production of bookshop crawl ID card 

Often called 'the world's most learned occult shop' Treadwell's is a destination for readers seeking intellectual, cultural, literary and practitioner books relating to all things esoteric. 

First opening its doors in 2003 at a small shopfront in Covent Garden, Treadwell's has flourished under the direction of it's founder and guiding spirit, Dr Christina Oakley-Harrington. It has grown in reputation and size, so much so that it relocated to Bloomsbury in 2011, just around the corner from the British Museum.
Treadwell's has always been a collective of friends and colleagues of common purpose. From the first day, friends have donated expertise, resources, old furniture and valuable advice. In less that two decades Treadwell's has become the beating heart of modern esoteric study. It offers a carefully curated selection of both old and new books; all are chosen with the experienced occultist, the curious academic, and the young student in mind.

Downloadable itinerary: Bloomsbury

42 Upper St, London N1 0PN

Opening hours: 9:30am - 6:30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 6pm Sun 

U

308 Kennington Rd, London SE11 4LD

Opening hours: 8am - 3pm Mon - Fri, 9am - 3pm Sat & Sun 

V

1D Calton Ave, London SE21 7DE

Opening hours: 9am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun 

Village Books is a long-established, award-winning independent bookshop that started life in the 1930’s as the Gallery Bookshop and Lending Library.We aim to combine great books with good service – and we love the challenge of tracking down a half-remembered title. We can’t stock every title that’s in print – but we’ve got a fast, efficient ordering service with many thousands of titles available for next day delivery. Call us by 5.00pm and you can collect your order before lunch the following day. We can also source out of print and American titles.

Walden Books, 38 Harmood St, London NW1 8DP

Opening hours: 10.30am - 6.30pm Thurs - Sun, closed Mon - Weds

Accessibility: wheelchair accessible

Perks: free cup of tea or coffee if space/time/busyness allows on production of bookshop crawl ID 

Established in 1979, we sell mainly, out of print, unusual, or not easily available, books on history of art, architecture, plus a good selection of modern and classic literature, philosophy plus decorative arts etc.. Large display outside the shop on trolleys. Note only second-hand, not new titles.

On Kentish Town & Camden group route

W

19-21 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ

Opening hours: 11am - 6.30pm Mon - Sun 

Established over 120 years ago, we are one of the world’s oldest

and leading independent bookshops specialising in esoterica.

Since our inception, Watkins holds a proud legacy of offering one of the world's largest selections of spiritual and esoteric literature. We stock titles on Eastern Philosophy and Western Esoterica, as well as a wide variety of contemporary forms of Mind, Body & Spirit related material.

277 W End Ln, London NW6 1QS

Opening hours: 9am - 7pm Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm Sat, 10am - 5pm Sun 

Family owned independent bookshop established in 1994. 

77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX

Opening hours: 11am - 6pm Tues, Weds & Fri - Sun, 11am - 9pm Thurs,

Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible

Buy beautifully illustrated books, the latest exhibition catalogues and art-inspired gifts in the Whitechapel Gallery Bookshop. Managed by Walther Koenig Books, the Whitechapel Gallery Bookshop offers a wide range of titles on modern and contemporary art, photography, architecture, design and art theory.

 

On Shoreditch & Brick Lane group route

40 High Street Wimbledon, London SW19 5AU

Opening hours: 10am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun.  

Wimbledon Books is an independent bookshop founded in 1996. We stock adult fiction and non-fiction, local history, children's books, gift books, toys, games and stationery.

Downloadable itinerary: Bookshop Explorer Challenge

314 New Cross Rd, London SE14 6AF

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat, 12pm - 5pm Sunday

Welcome to The Word, a cosy, buzzing independent bookshop in New Cross. We’re bulging with wonderful books to dive into or give as presents.

There’s fantastic new and popular fiction for grown-ups, children’s books for toddlers to teens, and a great selection of poetry and graphic novels.

We’ve also got plenty of serious, and not so serious, non-fiction – from biographies to books on politics, history, race and gender.

Downloadable itinerary: Lewisham & Crystal Palace

Regent's Canal Towpath, London N1C 4LW

Opening hours: 12pm - 7pm Mon - Sun 

A 100 year old Dutch barge, selling quality second hand and new books.
We have classics, cult, contemporary fiction, a large range of children's books and art and photography, plus some quirky stuff that you would never think to look for but may be very pleased to find. Also a wood-burning stove, Poetry Slams, readings and live acoustic music on our roof stage.

On Kings Cross group route

357 King's Rd, London SW3 5ES

Opening Hours: 10.30am - 6.30pm Weds - Sat, 11am -5pm Sun, closed Mon & Tues

Secondhand bookshop with small and select stock of books on many subjects including 20th century lit, occult, children's, art, design and photography

Downloadable itinerary: Kensington & Chelsea

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