When everything closed in London, and travelling abroad came to an abrupt halt, I wondered how I was going to spend my spare time. But quickly enough, my new hobby became walking – a pastime shared by many. I think I’ve clocked up more hours walking around London in these last few months than I did for the whole of last year.
One of my favourite walking routes is Regent’s Canal (admittedly busy at times but beautiful nonetheless) and one of my favourite attractions along Regent’s Canal is the bookshop appropriately named, Word on the Water, which I only discovered during lockdown. As you might have already guessed, it’s not your average shop made from traditional bricks and mortar. Word on the Water is a canalboat that has been lovingly transformed into a bookshop.
When I initially spotted it at the end of March on a particularly cold and gloomy afternoon it was closed, but seeing the shop sign and taking a peek through the window to the books that laid inside perked up my spirits and I vowed to visit once it opened again.
Fast forward two months later to June and it’s now reopened to a limited capacity. With social distancing still in place the interior browsing area is still closed, but a large collection of the books fill the outside for passersby to enjoy the capital city’s only floating bookshop.
Triumph in troubled waters
The bookshop is set against the backdrop of a former 50-foot-long 1920s Dutch barge that has been floating on the waters of London since 2010 but ensuring its survival has not been plain sailing.
Before they secured a permanent mooring, they were forced to move each fortnight by canal authorities. Most canalboat dwellers face moving to avoid the fees that come with mooring however, for Word on the Water, this wasn’t good for business. It wasn’t easy to find. They needed to obtain a fixed address so to speak, so obtaining a permanent mooring was crucial for its survival.
Through a successful campaign a few years ago that was spearheaded by its owners, Paddy Screech, Jonathan Privett and Stephane Chaudat and championed by several literary figures and a petition signed by 6000 people, the bookshop was finally granted its fixed location close to Granary Square in Kings Cross by Canal & River Trust.
From hardship comes strength and resilience and after seeing the buzz in the atmosphere upon its reopening, Word on the Water appears to have many fans. Usually in the summer, the barge hosts a variety of performances on its rooftop garden, bringing anything from folk groups to jazz bands to poetry slams. I’m not sure how this summer will pan out, but I look forward to my next visit where hopefully I’ll be able to take a gander inside.
How to visit
The nearest station is King’s Cross St Pancras, then follow signs to Regent’s canal. See its Facebook page for its opening times and schedule of upcoming events. Whether your motive is finding a good book or wanting to explore more of London’s hidden treasures, I urge you to visit. Places like this don’t come around too often and they play a large part in London’s unique cultural landscape.
