Online platforms such as TikTok, have fired up a reading resurgence among the younger generation. #BookTok boasts a huge 43.4 million posts, offering a wave of book recommendations and reading trends leaving users searching for the hashtag 163,000 on average per month, a +23% increase from previous years.
In a time when digital media and e-books are often seen as the future of reading, Waterstones is proving that physical books are experiencing a remarkable resurgence. The leading book retailer has announced that they will be expanding their business with a dozen new UK stores for 2025, following a “solid Christmas” trading.
As a part of Sumup’s High Street Trend Report, which analysed business counts using ONS and Nomisweb data over the past five years, the POS provider has discovered the UK cities where bookstores have increased the most in recent years.
UK locations where number of bookstores has increased the most in the past five years
UK locations | Percentage increase from 2020-2024 |
Manchester | 100% |
North Yorkshire | 100% |
Leeds | 100% |
Leicester | 100% |
Waltham Forest | 100% |
Brighton and Hove | 100% |
South Hams | 100% |
Cardiff | 100% |
Glasgow City | 100% |
Sheffield | 50% |
Birmingham | 50% |
Wiltshire | 50% |
Somerset | 50% |
City of Edinburgh | 50% |
Hackney | 33.3% |
Camden | 20% |
Nine out of the top ten cities have seen a 100% increase in bookstore openings since 2020
The research from SumUp has found that Manchester, North Yorkshire, Leeds, Leicester, Waltham Forest, Brighton and Hove, South Hams, Cardiff and Glasgow City all have seen a 100% increase in bookstore locations since 2020.

Ariana Sverdlik, Head of Global Brand at SumUp, explained: “Our research shows that the number of bookshops in many UK cities has increased by up to 100% over the past five years. Social media, particularly platforms like TikTok, has sparked a renewed interest in reading, driving demand for books and breathing new life into physical bookshops – an industry once thought to be in decline.
This resurgence highlights a significant opportunity for bookshop owners, both large and small. For chains like Waterstones, rapid expansion is a strategic response to this growing demand. Meanwhile, independent and medium-sized bookshops can seize the moment by building customer loyalty through initiatives such as loyalty cards, book-swapping schemes, and in-store experiences that bring the BookTok community into their physical spaces.
By adapting to these trends, bookshops can ensure that purchases inspired by trending books lead to lasting customer engagement and repeat visits.”
Please find the full study here.