
London’s fleet of bookshops has a funky figurehead, and you’ll find it floating on Regent’s Canal. Word on the Water has been bobbing along on the waters of London since 2011 and, like the pirate ships of old, it’s hauling some sweet booty. Except instead of gold coins and purloined treasures, this place is carrying a whole lotta books.
Word on the Water stocks a neat collection of new and used books, filling every nook and cranny. Whether you’re looking for poetry on the pond, crime novels on the canal, or literature on the lagoon, this is your spot. You can browse the shelves outside, or head inside for stacks of books on a huge range of subjects. Where else do you get the chance to read Austen on a 1920s barge?
It has stared down the usual problems facing bookshops – online retailers and Netflix-shaped distractions – but Word on the Water has also overcome some unique challenges. Before they secured a permanent mooring, they were forced to move each fortnight by canal authorities. (Not exactly a problem that Waterstones faces…)
More dramatically, the barge nearly sank some years ago after the interior flooded. Thankfully, the vessel nicknamed ‘The London Bookbarge’ has dropped anchor for the foreseeable future.
Beyond the books at Word on the Water
Whilst books are the main attraction, you’ll find even more to entertain you here. Word on the Water also runs talks on engaging topics such as politics, art, feminism, and technology. Meanwhile, the barge’s roof welcomes musicians and performers for open mic sessions, as well as the occasional reading or poetry slam.
On a gorgeous summer’s eve, there are few better places to be. And then in the winter, well, it’s known to look just like this!
The likes of Coal Drops Yard are handily placed next door, so you can pair that book learnin’ with a wander through the shops and a bite to eat. Your biggest problem at Word on the Water is picking the perfect book. Maybe a tale of the high seas would do nicely? Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!