Brilliant Bookshops: Rossiters, Cheltenham
Cheltenham is a very attractive Regency town which developed in the 18th century when its ‘medicinal’ waters were discovered in a field to the south of the town, where Cheltenham Ladies' College now stands. A visit from King George III to take the waters in 1788 established it as one of England’s leading Spa towns.
The development of Montpellier Spa was carried out at the beginning of the 19th century by Henry Thomson. In 1809, he built the first pump room, which was pulled down in 1817 and the present building was erected. Eight years later the architect, John Papworth, added the domed circular room which became known as the Rotunda. The building still exists today, having been used for various purposes since the decline of Cheltenham’s importance as a Spa Town.
Rotunda Terrace runs parallel to Montpellier Walk and it is here that the newest branch of Rossiter Books can be found. It is a delightful shop, airy and light with a very tempting window display, attracting the attention of passers-by.
There are now four shops in the Rossiter’s family- the others being in Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth, Leominster. The Cheltenham branch opened earlier this year and to me, Montpellier, with its quirky style and interesting range of independent shops, seems the perfect location to have chosen!
As usual, I headed for the Children’s section and was delighted by what I found there. The shelves are full of reading delights for children of all ages, obviously chosen with care and thought. A delightful range of board books is available, perfect for starting children on their life-long love of reading, alongside a splendid array of picture books where old favourites sit beside new delights.
An excellent selection of fiction is presented in age banded shelves with a generous helping of teenage titles to encourage the reading habit to continue. The shelves are full, but not crammed so tight that it is impossible to browse through what’s there with many books title page outwards to further tempt the reader. A comprehensive reference section also caters for all ages, covering a pleasing range of subjects.
The shop also offers a wide range of classics including some lovely gift editions. There are character toys and book related gifts and not just for children as I was very tempted by some book related handbags and purses. The beautiful Jacky Morris ‘Books are my Bag’ limited edition tote for 2022 was also on sale and has a connection to the shop (but I’m really sorry I can’t remember what I was told!).
Authors from the festival had also been popping in and the shop had quite a number of signed copies available. The owner and his son, who was helping out in the shop, were lovely people- very warm and welcoming, making this a shop you would want to return to. Cheltenham is very lucky to have this lovely addition to its charms!
Rossiter Books
7, Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier St,
Cheltenham GL50 1SW