Hanna, 35, who only wanted to use her first name, said she was frustrated because such events were a “lifeline for connecting with others,” particularly for disabled booklovers, and said the event should have been fully ticketed.
While some talks were ticketed, entry to the shop was free – and attendees said access was left open to the general public.
“There was still shoppers trying to browse the shelves pushing through the queues, some with children or more elderly people who had no idea about the event,” Amy White said.
It was “impossible to move” through the shop, she added, and the heat was “unbearable due to the amount of people”.
Another person who attended, Chloe from London, told the BBC “there was no crowd control in place” and criticised Waterstones for “lazy” planning.
“No-one checked the number of people in or out of the building – tell me how they can say that is ‘safe’?”