WATERSTONES’ bookshop in Oxford is swathed in scaffolding as the Grade II listed building gets some essential repairs.

Renovation work started on the building, on the corner of Cornmarket Street and Broad Street, at the beginning of May. The project involves renovating wooden windows on the upper floors and replacing gutters.

The existing lift is also being refurbished and a new goods lift installed, after customers raised issues about having to share the lift with deliveries.

Staff member Matt Perry apologised to customers for any inconvenience, adding: “It is a really beautiful building and we want to keep it that way. It is a good sign of where Waterstones is at the moment, that it can invest. We are really chuffed.”

Waterstones, which has occupied the building since 1998, hopes to have the new lifts installed by Tuesday.