Brilliant Bookshops: Waterstones, Taunton

I have to confess that it has been quite a while since I last visited the Waterstones in Taunton and I had forgotten what a lovely space this bookshop is. Light and airy, it is very well laid out with plenty of room to meander round and enjoy the books on offer.

The County Hotel was a historic hotel which closed in January 1995 and was altered to become shops. Waterstones was- and still is- one of these and you enter via the grand entrance which can be seen in photos of the Hotel in its heyday.

The children’s section is very appealing, offering a pleasing range of titles for all ages. Their poetry section has a good selection and it was lovely to see a display celebrating Joseph Coelho’s appointment as Children’s Laureate.

The staff were lovely. Very friendly and keen to be helpful, nothing was too much trouble, making my visit both pleasant and productive! Taunton itself is a wonderfully historic place, worth a visit for that reason alone- and a lovely, welcoming bookshop makes it even more so!

The County Hotel, East Street, Taunton, TA1 3LU