The Bookshop by WHSmith

Gate-side books in Terminal 1

Just past security in Terminal 1, The Bookshop by WHSmith is your last solid print stop before the gates at BHX. This is the dedicated books-focused branch, not the standard WHSmith stuffed with snacks first, novels second. You’ll see recent paperbacks, crime series, kids’ titles and some non-fiction lined up face-out, which makes grabbing something in under 3 minutes very doable.

Stock leans hard into airport-friendly reads: thrillers, romance, bestsellers and airport paperbacks that sit around the £8–£12 mark. Hardbacks and new releases run higher, usually in the £15–£25 range. There’s a small corner of travel guides and UK-themed books if you suddenly realise on the way to Gate 1–20 that you promised someone a Birmingham souvenir.

Magazines sit alongside the books, with the usual mainstream UK titles plus a few hobby and tech picks. You’ll also find basic stationery: pens, A5 notebooks, puzzle books and kids’ activity pads that help on a 2–3 hour flight. Prices are standard WHSmith airport pricing, so assume a small uplift vs high street prices, especially on branded notebooks and glossy mags.

Opening follows typical BHX flight banks, roughly early morning to late evening, matching the first departures around 04:00–05:00 through to the late Ryanair and Jet2 flights. Don’t count on it for a midnight arrival. Tip: if you care about cover choice, walk this shop before picking up a last-minute paperback at your gate’s smaller WHSmith stand.