The Book Elephant - Bookshop Review

I visited Elephant and Castle’s brand new bookshop, The Book Elephant.

Opening for a soft launch in January 2025, The Book Elephant is located in Elephant and Castle, making it the first bookshop in the area since The Kennington Bookshop closed in 2015.

Elephant and Castle has been an area of recent development in London, with a new complex called Elephant Park providing homes, shops, offices and restaurants. Now, it also has an excellent bookshop, designed to appeal to the young professionals who live in the area.

Although the shop’s facade looked almost black when I visited (after sunset in the wintertime), it’s actually painted an attractive dark green. The pink tables outside match the sign, and warm lighting invites customers inside.

Despite only being open for a soft launch, The Book Elephant appears to have a brilliant selection of books, spanning fiction, non-fiction and children’s. I picked up a copy of Ali Hazelwood’s new(ish) book About Love from the well stocked romance section.

As well as books you can find spinners filled with funky cards towards the entrance, as well as other bookish gifts and jigsaw puzzles. A shiny coffee machine sits behind the counter, and tables towards the back of the shop form a small cafe where visitors can flick through their new purchases.

How to Find The Book Elephant Bookshop

Located just a few minute’s walk from Elephant and Castle, The Book Elephant is easily accessible by London underground and bus services.

The full address for the bookshop is:

16 Sayer St, London SE17 1FH

Opening Hours

The Book Elephant is currently open from 10am - 7pm, seven days a week. Make sure you check for their up to date opening hours before you visit.

Have you stopped by The Book Elephant yet? Leave a comment and let me know.

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