Waterstones bookshop to open new branch in Whiteley Shopping Centre in former Accessorize site

Waterstones, which currently has 311 stores, starts work on site in Whiteley today, Monday, July 11, and is planning to open the store on Friday, August 12.

The Whiteley Shopping Centre store on Whiteley Way joins other branches in our area in Fareham Shopping Centre and Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

The bookselling giant has dubbed the store ‘Fareham Whiteley’ and says it ‘will offer a thoughtfully curated selection of books and gifts across one floor, boasting a sizeable children’s section.

‘We can’t wait to welcome everyone through the doors of our beautiful new bookshop.’

The shop will take over unit A2, which was formerly held by the fashion chain Accessorize.

Mia Gordon, centre director at Whiteley, said: ‘It’s always great to welcome new brands to Whiteley, especially ones that are as well known and loved as Waterstones.

‘With such a wide range of books, stationery and gifting options, I’m sure it will be a very popular choice with our shoppers.’

Waterstones is the UK’s largest bookseller with a turnover of £230m in 2021 and it operates in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands with about 3,500 staff.

In February this year, it acquired Blackwells and its 18 stores for an undisclosed sum. In 2018 they bought out the historic chain Foyles.

The current Whiteley district town centre was opened in 2013 after a £100m redevelopment scheme, replacing the defunct and subsequently demolished outlet retail village.