Waterstones Returns to Uxbridge After Five-Year Hiatus

In 2019, we reported that Waterstones Uxbridge was set to close for refurbishment, leaving the future of one of the town’s most beloved shops uncertain. At the time, a sign appeared in the store’s windows at The Chimes shopping centre (then Intu Uxbridge), announcing a temporary closure until “Spring/Summer 2020.”

like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Waterstones has returned to Uxbridge

At the time, I remember thinking: how can a refurbishment take that long? With new buildings springing up in a few short months, it seemed an eternity to wait for a bookshop to reopen. I wondered whether Intu (as it was then called) might follow its Debenhams downsizing strategy — cutting the standard for the restaurant, or perhaps yet another in-store Costa. Some feared that Uxbridge would lose its last major bookshop.

During those months of closure, the independent Barnard’s Bookshop in Windsor Street quietly carried the torch for local readers. Many residents, unaware of its presence, rediscovered the charm of an independent bookseller while Waterstones’ future hung in the balance.

Then the pandemic struck, and any hopes for a swift reopening faded. For years, the site remained empty — a sad reminder of the changing face of the high street.

But now, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Waterstones has returned to Uxbridge. After more than five years, the doors have finally reopened. The new store occupies a single, spacious floor, filled once again with the shelves of beautiful books that readers have missed.

For long-time customers and book lovers in Uxbridge, this reopening marks more than just the return of a retailer — it’s the revival of a cultural cornerstone. If you’ve been lamenting the loss of Waterstones, now is the perfect time to show your support, explore the new layout, and celebrate the welcome return of books to the heart of Uxbridge.

Waterstones Uxbridge