Gate-side reading fix before security
By the main check-in area at Edinburgh Airport, WHSmith Bookshop handles last-minute reading before you even hit security. It’s a straight-up bookshop, not the general WHSmith convenience format, so you get more shelves of paperbacks and fewer meal deals. Expect the usual UK airport mix: current bestsellers, crime series, thrillers, plus a small kids’ section with activity books that actually kill 2–3 hours on a flight.
Prices run at standard UK RRP, so you’re looking at around £9–£12 for most paperbacks and £18–£25 for new hardbacks. You’ll also find a few 2-for-£X promos on chart titles, similar to high-street WHSmith deals. Magazines sit near the entrance, with weekly titles and travel glossies that are handy for short hops to London or Amsterdam.
Stock skews heavily to English-language titles, with some Scotland-focused shelves (Scottish crime authors, local history, Edinburgh guidebooks) near eye level. Children’s books tend to be near the front counter, with sticker books under £7 and small paperbacks under £6. There’s usually a basic stationery rack too: pens, highlighters, and cheap notebooks in the £3–£6 range if you need something for work on a laptop tray table.
Opening times typically track early outbound waves, so think pre-5 a.m. starts through to late evening when the last European departures clear, but don’t bank on true 24-hour service. Stock thins late at night, especially on hot new releases. Practical play: if you’ve got 10 spare minutes before bag drop closes, grab your long-haul read here so you’re not stuck with just duty-free chocolate airside.