Close Menu
Mirror Brief

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Ex-Arsenal midfielder Partey joins Villarreal despite his legal troubles

    August 8, 2025

    UK ministers push ahead with discount on bills for households near new pylons | Energy bills

    August 8, 2025

    As dark financial clouds gather, Labour has to heed its past: when it chooses austerity, it loses elections | Andy Beckett

    August 8, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Mirror BriefMirror Brief
    Trending
    • Ex-Arsenal midfielder Partey joins Villarreal despite his legal troubles
    • UK ministers push ahead with discount on bills for households near new pylons | Energy bills
    • As dark financial clouds gather, Labour has to heed its past: when it chooses austerity, it loses elections | Andy Beckett
    • Instagram’s map feature spurs user backlash over privacy concerns
    • Mandalorian actress Gina Carano settles with Disney over firing
    • Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for peach and sumac Eton mess | Dessert
    • Gloucestershire support network helped us to breastfeed, say mums
    • Boxing: BBC to broadcast Boxxer fights on TV and iPlayer
    Friday, August 8
    • Home
    • Business
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Politics
    • Science
    • Sports
    • World
    • Travel
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    Mirror Brief
    Home»Entertainment»Waterstones sorry after readers criticise event ‘overcrowding’
    Entertainment

    Waterstones sorry after readers criticise event ‘overcrowding’

    By Emma ReynoldsAugust 8, 2025No Comments3 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
    Waterstones sorry after readers criticise event 'overcrowding'
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Amy White A picture inside a large bookshop at the back of a large crowd, which stretches to the far, windowed wall.Amy White

    Waterstones has apologised after booklovers complained of “utter chaos” and overcrowding at an event at its flagship shop on Wednesday.

    Attendees said the bookseller’s annual BookFest was disorganised and potentially unsafe, with some social media users joking they had “survived” the event while one deemed it “hell on earth”.

    Videos posted online showed large crowds throughout the shop in Piccadilly, central London, with long queues winding up the stairs and out onto the street.

    The bookselling chain posted on X that it was “truly sorry to hear about any negative experiences,” and told the BBC that the safety of attendees was “never at risk”.

    Kellie Greenhalgh said it was “extremely busy” when she arrived at the shop for the annual event, where readers meet authors, access early copies of books, and attend panels and workshops.

    But she said that while there were hundreds of attendees, there were no staff present to give directions or assistance.

    “I did not see a single member of Waterstones or event staff the whole time,” she told the BBC.

    “The queues were all on the stairs, all in front of the lifts.”

    The 33-year-old said she queued for an hour and a half to reach one stall: “I was shaking and did not feel well from the heat and stress”.

    “One author had a panic attack and had to leave,” she added.

    Another attendee, who uses crutches, says she was left “standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other people” trying to hand an author a book to sign, and that she was twice knocked over due to overcrowding.

    Kellie Greenhalgh A picture inside a large, busy bookshop, with groups of people stretching back towards the far, windowed wall.Kellie Greenhalgh

    Attendees said there was serious overcrowding at Wednesday’s event

    Hanna, 35, who only wanted to use her first name, said she was frustrated because such events were a “lifeline for connecting with others,” particularly for disabled booklovers, and said the event should have been fully ticketed.

    While some talks were ticketed, entry to the shop was free – and attendees said access was left open to the general public.

    “There was still shoppers trying to browse the shelves pushing through the queues, some with children or more elderly people who had no idea about the event,” Amy White said.

    It was “impossible to move” through the shop, she added, and the heat was “unbearable due to the amount of people”.

    Another person who attended, Chloe from London, told the BBC “there was no crowd control in place” and criticised Waterstones for “lazy” planning.

    “No-one checked the number of people in or out of the building – tell me how they can say that is ‘safe’?”

    In a statement posted to X late on Thursday, the booksellers said they would “review and learn from this year to deliver much-improved future events”.

    In a further statement to the BBC, Waterstones added that “an unexpectedly high turnout led to very long queues and some crowding around publisher tables and author signings”.

    “Both the central events team and the shop team were on hand throughout across the floors, and the safety of our customers was our top priority as always.”

    It continued: “We fully appreciate that this was an unusually busy event, which unfortunately may have caused some of our visitors to feel uncomfortable or distressed.”

    criticise event overcrowding readers Waterstones
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleThe day Scottish football could feel good about itself
    Next Article Leak Reveals the Workaday Lives of North Korean IT Scammers
    Emma Reynolds
    • Website

    Emma Reynolds is a senior journalist at Mirror Brief, covering world affairs, politics, and cultural trends for over eight years. She is passionate about unbiased reporting and delivering in-depth stories that matter.

    Related Posts

    Entertainment

    Mandalorian actress Gina Carano settles with Disney over firing

    August 8, 2025
    Entertainment

    How to Watch 2025 U.S. Gymnastics Championships Live: Stream Free Here

    August 8, 2025
    Entertainment

    Expedia Reveals Top Island Travel Destinations, Locations for 2025

    August 8, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Medium Rectangle Ad
    Top Posts

    Revealed: Yorkshire Water boss was paid extra £1.3m via offshore parent firm | Water industry

    August 3, 202513 Views

    Eric Trump opens door to political dynasty

    June 27, 20257 Views

    How has Ryanair changed its cabin baggage rule – and will other airlines do it too? | Ryanair

    July 5, 20256 Views
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • WhatsApp
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Latest Reviews
    Technology

    Meta Wins Blockbuster AI Copyright Case—but There’s a Catch

    Emma ReynoldsJune 25, 2025
    Business

    No phone signal on your train? There may be a fix

    Emma ReynoldsJune 25, 2025
    World

    US sanctions Mexican banks, alleging connections to cartel money laundering | Crime News

    Emma ReynoldsJune 25, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest tech news from FooBar about tech, design and biz.

    Medium Rectangle Ad
    Most Popular

    Revealed: Yorkshire Water boss was paid extra £1.3m via offshore parent firm | Water industry

    August 3, 202513 Views

    Eric Trump opens door to political dynasty

    June 27, 20257 Views

    How has Ryanair changed its cabin baggage rule – and will other airlines do it too? | Ryanair

    July 5, 20256 Views
    Our Picks

    Ex-Arsenal midfielder Partey joins Villarreal despite his legal troubles

    August 8, 2025

    UK ministers push ahead with discount on bills for households near new pylons | Energy bills

    August 8, 2025

    As dark financial clouds gather, Labour has to heed its past: when it chooses austerity, it loses elections | Andy Beckett

    August 8, 2025
    Recent Posts
    • Ex-Arsenal midfielder Partey joins Villarreal despite his legal troubles
    • UK ministers push ahead with discount on bills for households near new pylons | Energy bills
    • As dark financial clouds gather, Labour has to heed its past: when it chooses austerity, it loses elections | Andy Beckett
    • Instagram’s map feature spurs user backlash over privacy concerns
    • Mandalorian actress Gina Carano settles with Disney over firing
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • About Us
    • Disclaimer
    • Get In Touch
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    © 2025 Mirror Brief. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.