Hatchards

Hatchards is a bookshop on Piccadilly in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1797 by John Hatchard and has stayed in the same street since 1801. The shop sits next to Fortnum & Mason, and a branch opened at St Pancras station in 2014. Hatchards holds two royal warrants from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. John Hatchard bought stock from Simon Vandenbergh when he started the business. A portrait of the founder hangs on the shop’s staircase. The shop is known for drawing well-known authors and has hosted figures like Oscar Wilde. Wilde signed books at the main table on the ground floor, now called Oscar’s table. In 1939 the troubled business was bought by Clarence Hatry, who improved its fortunes. Hatchards was later owned by William Collins, Sons and then by Pentos, before Waterstones took over. Waterstones kept the flagship store while rebranding other branches. Inside, visitors find shelves of books and the preserved ground-floor table where Oscar Wilde worked. The Piccadilly shop retains its original staircase with Hatchard’s portrait. The St Pancras branch offers a smaller selection in a modern setting. Both locations share a long history with Fortnum & Mason nearby. The shop’s atmosphere reflects over two centuries of bookselling in London.