Richard Booth Bookshop Review
Welcome to Hay-on-Wye, the world famous book town located on the Welsh border. With more than 20 bookshops to its name, Hay really is a book lover’s dream, and an essential bucket list location for any reader.
You’ll find the UK’s largest book festival, Hay Fest, there each summer, along with a more modest iteration in the winter. It’s a cultural hub and the place to be for anyone who loves books.
Hay-on-Wye didn’t start life as a book town - Richard Booth opened the very first bookshop during an economic downturn in 1961. Repurposing an empty building and aptly named The Old Fire Station, he specialised in secondhand books and later purchased Hay Castle.
Booth was known to be a unique character, having named himself ‘King of Hay’ and declaring the town to be a sovereign state. Although he is no longer around and passed away in 2019, the Richard Booth Bookshop lives on and is now run by Elizabeth Haycox.
You’ll find the shop on Lion Street, and it’s easily a showstopper amongst a town full of bookshops. With beautiful hardwood interiors, a large sweeping staircase, cafe and a cinema, Richard Booth’s is the largest bookshop in Hay.
In terms of the books themselves, the shop stocks a wide range of new and second hand books, with an online catalogue available to browse on their website.
Getting here
You’ll find the Richard Booth Bookshop on Lion Street, with is on the far side of town if you’re heading over from the book festival. This area is chockablock with bookshops, so there’s lots to see!
There’s truly something for everyone here, and I came away with a signed copy of Yours, Cheerfully by A J Pierce (sequel to the bestselling Dear Mrs Bird), as well as a handful of popular psychology books.
Let me know if you’ve ever visited this wonderful bookshop!
Outside - although this is sadly no longer applicable!