Waterstones in Bradford, UK is a Cathedral of Books

Waterstones in Bradford, UK is a Cathedral of Books

Monday, 16 December, 2019

Built between 1864-1867, the Bradford wool exchange was housed in this Venetian Gothic masterpiece, a spiky, towering symbol of the city’s power and the wealth gained from the wool trade in the 19th century. Now, it’s a brilliant Waterstones bookshop.

rule

It was such an important building, the foundation stones were laid by then-Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. Wool deals were made inside on the main trading floor, by verbal contract only, and only members could participate in trading on the floor. There was, however, a walkway around the main floor for freelancers and independent traders to try to catch the eye of a member to make a deal ‘off floor.’ Membership in the exchange endowed official traders with a coveted high rank in society. So posh!

bookshelf and ornate window in waterstones books in bradford

The basement offered a social establishment with plenty of cachet: Spink’s Restaurant, where even the cutlery was stamped with an Egyptian sphinx. The restaurant boasted two dining rooms — formal and more casual — and they were a hotbed of networking, trading, and gossip.

overhead view of bookshelves in waterstones books in bradford

Today, this historic building is a well-curated Waterstones book store with an airy café on the mezzanine overlooking the glowing shelves of books below. This Waterstones is also the location of the annual Bradford Literature Festival.

array of books on a table in waterstones books in bradford

There are so many alluring books on display! The Little Paris Bookshop is sure to induce an ugly cry (in a good way), and The Night Circus delivers atmosphere, magic, and mystery. Plus, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, A Man Called Ove, and Never Let Me Go… it’s a world tour of best-quality fiction.

bookshelf and ornate window in waterstones books in bradford

It would not be difficult to commit to being a monk in this book church. The first golden rule would be that all monks read each night before going to sleep. They pledge to remain abed until at least 9:00 a.m. the following morning with said tome, then they will rise and drink tea (in the summer) and hot cocoa (in the winter). The day would be spent reading to children, dogs, and cats — literary service is crucial. For supper, they would eat recipes prepared from books in the cookbook section. These are orders to which we could happily commit; where do we sign?

statue in waterstones books in bradford

rule

If you go…

For opening hours and contact info, visit the Waterstones website.

  • Waterstones Bradford
  • The Wool Exchange, Hustlergate
  • Bradford, BD1 1BL
  • UK

Want to keep up with our book-related adventures? Sign up for our newsletter!

keep reading

Daunt Books Marylebone is like Strong Sense of Place became sentient and took up residence in an Edwardian bookshop. Its collection of curated books, stained glass window, reading nooks make it a must-visit bookshop.
The Union Coffee House is tucked along a side street in Leeds. It's worth the trip to this cozy café to enjoy their excellent coffee, warm hospitality, zippy wi-fi, and surprisingly good selection of books.

sharing is caring!

Can you help us? If you like this article, share it your friends!

our mission

Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter

Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.

get our newsletter
Sign up for our free Substack!
follow us

Content on this site is ©2024 by Smudge Publishing, unless otherwise noted. Peace be with you, person who reads the small type.