Welcome to Red Lion Books. Proudly independent since 1978
Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm. Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays
Our website shows a sample of books available to order. We also have a curated selection at our shop in Colchester. For current information please email us@redlionbooks.co.uk

FREE SHIPING FOR ORDERS OVER $50

Image Alt
Get involved

Events

Some events may not show on this page.

Please use this link: more events for

Book clubs, craft clubs, writing groups, silent book club, death club

We love people as much as we love books and book-related events bring these loves together.  Amongst other events we host  4 bookshop parties a year. Check here for updates or subscribe to our mailing list: Subscribe Here

Not all our events are accessible to wheelchair users but we taking some of our events offsite to accommodate this.

What's On?

11.07.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Crochet Workshop
Make your own Bookmark
With Loui Mitchell
11th July 2025
10am

16.07.2025
/
Red Lion Books

Linocut Workshop with Holly:
Wednesday, July 16th 2025
10am-Noon

17.07.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 1SZ

Author Event
Kate Sawyer
Talking about novel Getting Away
17th July, 2025
6pm

25.07.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Cosy Crochet Club
All abilities
With Loui Mitchell
10am

08.08.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Crochet Workshop
Make your own Bookmark
With Loui Mitchell
8th August 2025
10am

01.09.2025
/
Patch
24 Trinity Street, Colchester, CO1 1JN

Double Author event
Siblings Holly & Ben Pester
Discuss their respective novels
Monday, 1st September, 6.30pm
At Patch

06.09.2025
/
Red Lion Books

How to be radical
A writer in residence talk
Jane- no longer tame
Saturday, September 6th 2025
11am

12.09.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Crochet Workshop
Make your own Bookmark
With Loui Mitchell
12th September 2025
10am

wide-divider

Past Events

27.06.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Cosy Crochet Club
All abilities
With Loui Mitchell
10am

26.06.2025
/
Offsite. Colchester Arts Centre.
Wheelchair accessible

Daytime Book Club
Monthly event
Collaboration with
Appetite Book Club & Essex Book Festival
At The Colchester Arts Centre
Thursday 26th June, 2025 11am
Author Talk with Keiran Goddard

25.06.2025
/
On Zoom

2025 Neurodivergent Author Event on Zoom
Lucy Rose, Elspeth Wilson, Callie Kazumi

07.06.2025
/
Upstairs at Red Lion Books
125 High Street
Colchester
CO1 1SZ

Author event
The Cuckoo’s Lea with author Michael J. Warren
Saturday 7th June, 2pm

06.06.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Crochet Workshop
Make your own Bookmark
With Loui Mitchell
6th June 2025
10am

04.06.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
Colchester
CO1 1SZ

Author signing: Kes Gray
Wednesday 4th June 2025
4pm
signing Oi Dinosaurs!
an event so exciting, that we will keep the shop open until the last book is signed
must be pre-booked

03.06.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 1SZ

HOMER’S ODYSSEY: 4-week course
Tuesday mornings during June 2025
10am-11.30am
£65 including book

30.05.2025
/
Red Lion Books
125 High Street
CO1 12Z

Cosy Crochet Club
All abilities
With Loui Mitchell
10am

29.05.2025
/
Upstairs at Red Lion Books
125 High Street
Colchester
CO1 1SZ

Author event Rhiannon Garth Jones
All Roads Lead to Rome : Why we think about the Roman Empire daily

27.05.2025
/
Patch
24 Trinity Street
Colchester
CO1 1JN

Author event: Rebecca Watson ‘I Will Crash’
May 27th 2025, 7.30pm
At PATCH

24.05.2025
/
Red Lion Books

Author talk
Upstairs at Red Lion Books
Charles Ambrose
The Grandfather Paradox
24th May 2025, 11am

21.05.2025
/
Red Lion Books

Linocut Workshop with Holly:
May 21, 2025
10am-Noon

wide-divider

Our Events

Why Come Along?

Robin-Ince

Meet Authors

Listen to authors talk about their books and the craft of writing.

CANTO99609

Get a book signed

Buy a book with a personal dedication from a visiting author.

SARAH PERRY

Ask Questions

Our ‘meet the author’ events always finish with the opportunity for you to ask your own question.

Oyn

Get writing tips

Find out how published authors get their inspiration and then structure their writing.

wide-divider

Loved the Robin Ince event - more please!

Good at events

You are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...they have put on numerous events online in what are difficult times.

It's the best book shop in Colchester by a country mile! They always have a huge selection of books in stock and this makes it a great place for discovering new titles, as well as discovering new topics. The staff have always been extremely friendly and helpful; during this year I believe they have put on numerous events online in what are difficult times. I cannot recommend this book shop enough!

Luke Rogers

they often have book launch deals and author meet events......

Red Lion Books is an indie shop with a great selection of books for the public. They're curated section is equally fantastic, and they often have book launch deals and author meet events that are worth looking out for too. If you're looking for book recommendations, this is the place. You get the impression here that they actually read the books.

Jessica Brown

Loved the Robin Ince event - more please!

Good at events

You are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...they have put on numerous events online in what are difficult times.

It's the best book shop in Colchester by a country mile! They always have a huge selection of books in stock and this makes it a great place for discovering new titles, as well as discovering new topics. The staff have always been extremely friendly and helpful; during this year I believe they have put on numerous events online in what are difficult times. I cannot recommend this book shop enough!

Luke Rogers

they often have book launch deals and author meet events......

Red Lion Books is an indie shop with a great selection of books for the public. They're curated section is equally fantastic, and they often have book launch deals and author meet events that are worth looking out for too. If you're looking for book recommendations, this is the place. You get the impression here that they actually read the books.

Jessica Brown