PEOPLE were bursting with excitement as a major bookshop chain opened its doors in Romsey.

Waterstones opened on Friday, August 2 to a swell of people looking at the vast selection of books. 

The bookshop has moved into the former M&Co unit in The Hundred. 

Speaking just after the shop opened, manager Ed Woods said: “The response has been fantastic. We opened a few minutes before nine and we've been busy since. It's great to open in the middle of the holidays because we've got children and families here and we actually get to see the whole diverse make-up of Romsey. 

Ed Woods (Image: Newsquest)

“I've never been welcomed somewhere more I don't think. I've heard 'welcome to Romsey' about 300 times, so everyone seems to be embracing it. 

@hampshire_chronicle Waterstones in Romsey is now open! #waterstones #bookstagram #book #bookrecommendations ♬ Calm LoFi song(882353) - S_R

READ MORE: Romsey Riverwalk Restoration Community Interest Company raising £45k

“We've wanted to come into Romsey for a very long time, we've just been looking for the right location. I've personally been having conversations about finding the right unit with the property team for a couple of years, so to actually snowball to the point where I'm actually here as the manager and we've actually got a shop is fantastic. It sits beautifully between our big shop in Southampton and our community shops in Winchester. I've been amazed that for a small town, it's vibrant and full of book lovers.”

Zoe Hall and her daughters Phoebe, Jennifer and Ellie (Image: Newsquest)

As well as books, the shop also sells board games, card games, calendars and stationery. 

People were looking around and buying books. Chris Green said: “It's absolutely wonderful Romsey has needed something like this for years. It's long overdue and totally welcome. It's a fabulous addition to the town.”

Zoe Hall and her three daughters Pheobe, Jennifer and Ellie said they had been counting down the days until the shop opened. Zoe said: “We're all very exciting for this opening. It's brilliant. It's very big, I didn't expect it to be this big. We're going to be regular customers for sure.”

Sally Morgan (Image: Newsquest)

Sally Morgan said: “What took them so long to get here? I've come from the coffee shop straight here. I'm going to be in here ages, I've already lost my husband in here somewhere. Just look at all the people in here.”

Lorraine Coleman and Mark Barley (Image: Newsquest)

Lorraine Coleman added: “Romsey sometimes feels like an extension of Winchester. This is what Romsey needs. We don't want any more charity shops. We want something classy. This is a diverse community and this is absolutely ideal. I can't even remember the last time I felt really excited about something like this. I think it's brilliant. We always shop at Winchester Waterstones or West Quay, so having it on your doorstep is great.”

For more details about the shop, visit waterstones.com/bookshops/romsey.