Guildford’s Waterstones Rewrites an Old Chapter – The Café Returns

Published on: 3 Oct, 2025
Updated on: 3 Oct, 2025

Waterstones are moving back to 71 High Street where they were previously located until 2019

By Isabelle Trubshaw

Guildford’s Waterstones bookshop is to return to its previous premises in the High Street where it will reopen a café – but this time with its own brand, “Café W”.

Ironically, in a repeat of the situation in 2019, the move has been triggered by a failure to reach a new agreement with the landlords of 50-54 High Street.

In 2019 the breakdown of negotiations over unaffordable rent led to the bookshop chain’s decision to move across the street to slightly smaller premises which had insufficient room for a café.

Waterstones’ current location opposite the shop they are returning to.

The further re-location will involve expanding back to the three-storey, 15,000 sq ft property, which has been vacant since Waterstones’ original move in 2019 also due to rent.

A spokesperson from Waterstones detailed the main reason behind the move: “Unfortunately we were unable to secure long term certainty of occupation with our existing landlord. We regret this greatly and have in consequence been obliged to relocate.”

Waterstones declined to give the identity of the owners of either of the shops. The re-location and expansion are part of a wider growth, following a £125 million funding package offered by Barclays and HSBC.

Waterstones’ nationwide profits have grown by 17 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023, reflecting a post-pandemic boom in reading.

A spokesperson from Waterstones said: “I think we have been missing a café since we
moved. It is a big thing that people often come in and ask for, and therefore something we
are all excited to have back.”

“We are very excited that it will be one of our own brand coffee shops, because it means we can tailor it more to the store.”

Coffee shops play an important role in retail business on Guildford’s High Street, with 30 per cent of its 70 shops being coffee shops.

A Waterstones customer said, “The old premises were more convenient. In the current
location, there is nowhere to sit and look at the books. The café used to bring in lots of
customers and will certainly bring me in.”

Earlier this year, Guildford also saw the arrival of a new, dog-friendly independent bookstore, “Paper Moon”, but a spokesperson for the new shop was unperturbed by the Waterstones news, saying: “People like independent business, putting the money back into their local community rather than into giant corporations.”

Waterstones’ customers, however, say they will remain loyal despite the arrival of
independents.

One customer said: “I would certainly respond to this independent store, but I do not think
this will affect my purchasing activity at Waterstones, because I know Waterstones, and
have used them for years.”

The Paper Moon spokesperson downplayed any rivalry, “We have done well in terms of
sales, so maybe it has affected Waterstones somewhat, but I’d be surprised if that’s the
reason they’re re-locating.”

A Waterstones spokesperson affirmed the amicable relationship between the stores: “We
love that there is another bookstore, we love independence. The more bookstores the
better.”

The latest relocation is Waterstones’ third move in the town. Their first location in Guildford, from the mid 1980s, was at the bottom of North Street.