Bookshops in Cheltenham: Independent, Second-Hand and Rare
Seven bookshops in Cheltenham, from Waterstones and the independent Rossiter Books to second-hand Moss Books and Cheltenham Rare Books, with opening days, children's story times, author events and a bookshop crawl.
In short: the bookshops in Cheltenham to start with are Waterstones on the Promenade for range (three floors, a café and free children's story times), Rossiter Books in Montpellier for a family-run independent, and Moss Books on St George's Place for second-hand, trading since 1992. Collectors should add Cheltenham Rare Books, which opens Wednesday to Saturday only.
Seven bookshops in Cheltenham, from new and independent to second-hand, rare and comics, with opening hours, events and book tokens checked on each shop's own website on 19 October 2026.
What are the best bookshops in Cheltenham?
Waterstones and Hatchards on the Promenade for new books, Rossiter Books for an independent, Moss Books for second-hand and Cheltenham Rare Books for first editions.
| Shop and area | New or second-hand | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterstones, Town Centre | New | Range, children's books, events | Daily |
| Hatchards, Town Centre | New | History, art, biography | Daily |
| Rossiter Books, Montpellier | New, independent | Book groups, book tokens | Daily |
| Moss Books, Town Centre | Second-hand | Long browses, specialist history | Daily |
| Cheltenham Rare Books, Town Centre | Rare and antiquarian | First editions, signed copies | Wed to Sat |
| Proud Lion, Town Centre | New comics | Comics, manga, games | Wed to Sun |
| Badlands, Town Centre | New records and books | Music books | Tue to Sat |
New books and independent bookshops in Cheltenham
Waterstones
The biggest bookshop in town: new releases, children's books, graphic novels and manga on the ground floor, fiction and Café W on the first, non-fiction on the second. It is an official partner of the Cheltenham Literature Festival and runs author events through the year.
- 📚 Three floors and a café
- ⏰ Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 10.30am to 4.30pm
- 👶 Free story times Tue and Sat
- 📍 The Promenade, Town Centre
Hatchards
The first Hatchards outside London, a two-minute walk along the Promenade from Waterstones. Its shelves lean towards history, art, biography and coffee-table books, and it has its own events space for talks through the year.
- 🎨 History, art and biography
- ⏰ Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm, Sun 10.30am to 4.30pm
- 📍 The Promenade, Town Centre
Rossiter Books
A family-run independent, one of seven Rossiter shops across the English and Welsh border counties, with a carefully chosen range plus signed copies and pre-orders. It runs two monthly book groups and sells National Book Tokens as well as its own Rossiter Tokens.
- ⏰ Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm, Sun 11am to 4pm
- 📖 Book groups, 1st Tue and Thu, 6pm
- 🎁 Tokens from £5
- 📍 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier
Second-hand and rare bookshops in Cheltenham
Moss Books
Cheltenham's long-standing second-hand bookshop, trading since 1992 and now a minute's walk from its old Henrietta Street home of more than 30 years. Expect A to Z fiction and crime, poetry and plays, a children's section and deep specialist shelves on railways, motoring, military and world history.
- 📖 Books bought and sold
- ⏰ Mon to Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun 11am to 5pm
- 📍 St George's Place, Town Centre
Cheltenham Rare Books
Mark Skipper's shop opposite the Town Hall deals in first editions, signed copies, private press and illustrated books, and has more stock in the shop than online. It also buys rare books and first editions, and its online catalogue has a section of books under £50.
- 💎 First editions and signed copies
- ⏰ Wed to Sat 11am to 5pm, other times by appointment
- 🎁 Book vouchers £10 to £100
- 📍 Imperial Square, Town Centre
Comics, graphic novels and music books
Both sit a few doors from Moss Books on St George's Place.
Proud Lion Comics and Games
A comic and games shop with new comics every week, graphic novels and manga, plus roleplaying and board games. Regulars can set up a reservation pull list with a £10 returnable deposit.
- 🦸 Comics, graphic novels and manga
- ⏰ Wed to Sat 11am to 5.30pm, Sun 11am to 4pm
- 🎟️ Game nights from £5
- 📍 St George's Place, Town Centre
Badlands
An independent record shop since 1986 that also stocks music books and magazines, strongest on Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. Worth the stop if you are buying for a music fan.
- 🎵 Records, CDs and music books
- ⏰ Tue to Sat 9am to 5.20pm
- 📍 St George's Place, Town Centre
Where can I buy children's books in Cheltenham?
Waterstones, where the children's department is on the ground floor and the free story times run every week. Moss Books has a second-hand children's section, and Proud Lion stocks graphic novels for younger readers.
- 👶 Toddler Tales, Tuesdays 10am
- 📖 Saturday Stories, 10.30am
- 📅 Book club for ages 8 to 12, first Wednesday of the month, 4.30pm
Which Cheltenham bookshops hold author events?
Waterstones has the busiest programme. Crime writers M.J. Robotham and Sam Steele talk there on Wednesday 28 October 2026 from 6.30pm (£5, or £22 with a book), and a midnight launch for ACOTAR 6 runs from 10pm on Monday 26 October 2026. Rossiter Books' two book groups read the same title, with tickets that include the book; the next is Endling by Maria Reva on 3 and 5 November 2026, limited to 15 people. Hatchards has its own events space, and Proud Lion sells tickets for Magic: The Gathering and roleplaying game nights.
When is the Cheltenham Literature Festival?
Every October. The festival, which its organiser describes as the world's longest-running literature festival, had not yet published its 2027 dates on 19 October 2026. Waterstones Cheltenham is an official partner. See our Literature Festival guide or the festival's own site.
A Cheltenham bookshop crawl: what order should I walk it in?
Start in Montpellier and finish on St George's Place, a little over a kilometre in all. Go on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, the only days all seven are open.
- Rossiter Books, Rotunda Terrace: open from 9.30am.
- Cheltenham Rare Books, Imperial Square, opposite the Town Hall: opens at 11am, so time your arrival.
- Hatchards, 88 The Promenade.
- Waterstones, a short walk along the Promenade: lunch at Café W on the first floor.
- Proud Lion (5.30pm) and Badlands (5.20pm), St George's Place: both close by 5.30pm.
- Moss Books, St George's Place, last because it stays open until 6pm.
Can I buy book tokens or sell books in Cheltenham?
Yes. Rossiter Books sells National Book Tokens and its own £5, £10 and £20 tokens, Waterstones sells gift cards and Cheltenham Rare Books emails book vouchers. To sell, take second-hand books to Moss Books and first editions to Cheltenham Rare Books.
Bookshops in Cheltenham: questions
What is the best bookshop in Cheltenham?
Waterstones on the Promenade for the widest range, Rossiter Books in Montpellier for an independent, and Moss Books on St George's Place for second-hand.
Are there second-hand bookshops in Cheltenham?
Yes. Moss Books on St George's Place has sold second-hand books since 1992 and opens daily, and Cheltenham Rare Books on Imperial Square sells first editions from Wednesday to Saturday.
Is there an independent bookshop in Cheltenham?
Rossiter Books, a family-run independent on Rotunda Terrace in Montpellier, open 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday.
Which Cheltenham bookshops are open on Sunday?
Waterstones and Hatchards (10.30am to 4.30pm), Rossiter Books (11am to 4pm), Moss Books (11am to 5pm) and Proud Lion (11am to 4pm).
When is the Cheltenham Literature Festival?
Every October. The 2027 dates had not been published on the festival's website on 19 October 2026.