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Fun Facts
The shop features in two novels currently in print.
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We have hosted 102,000 people in 17 years of author talks in our top floor café. |
The Manager, Martin Latham, is the longest-serving
Waterstones Manager, having been appointed by the legendary entrepreneur
and founder Tim Waterstone himself. |
The Rocking Horses are made locally, by the Queen’s Rocking Horse maker. He told me that, according to a Footman, when no-one is around Her Majesty relaxes by riding her horse. They are made from single pieces of Poplar. The black horse is based exactly on Black Beauty’s markings. |
Eight managers of other Waterstones branches started bookselling here, including the manager of Hatchards Piccadilly, the Queens bookseller.
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Our current Unpacker Tony Colla, who has been here 12 years, played a German in The Eagle has Landed. |
| Some of the more memorable author requests include: Mars Bars, Checking their teeth, Cocaine ("but I can always get cocaine from Waterstones booksellers!"), wearing a belt full of illegal substances, and a Packet of Silk cut (nicked from an audience member). |
| Our Petty Cash slips include: 2 Panamanian Poison Arrow tree frogs, ostrich feathers (fashion display), an Archaeological Dig, 2 Rocking Horses, a lifesize toy orang-utan, 30 tins of Quality Street for customers at Christmas, a water feature, massage sessions for customers, foot massager for staff,Star Wars figures for window, fire-jugglers, a harpist, an ant farm, an owl, a smoke machine, a refill bottle of smoke, bottle of Talisker Scotch for Robin Cook, a £30 bottle of champagne for John Mortimer (he only drinks a certain label), Champagne for AS Byatt (she cannot drink wine, her doctor says, only champagne), set and props for public panto in cafe, a £200 swivelly "Mastermind" chair for an octagenarian Eric Newby, who had precise requirements,a bamboo plant and bench for the roof garden,, and walkie-talkies to improve customer service (a while ago). |
14 significant relationships have blossomed in our shop. |
...We have two ghosts! |
