As reported by The Press, Waterstones, in Coney Street, joined stores across the country in opening early today with a half price offer on the book set to tempt customers to queue ahead of the release.

But passing the store shortly after 8.35am, when it opened, no queue could be seen.

Inside the store, books remained fully stacked with no customers inside.

Stock levels remain high at 8.40am (Image: Dylan Connell)

Returning to York’s Coney Street Waterstones shortly after 1pm, stock levels had depleted slightly – but it could be assumed that most sales were online pre orders.

There was also still no queue. 

Stock levels of Spare were slightly down at 1.10pm (Image: Dylan Connell)

Although Waterstones could not comment on the sales of Spare at the York store alone, John Cotterill, non-fiction category manager at Waterstones, said: “We are very pleased with the exceptional sales we have seen so far today.

“Spare is one of the biggest pre-orders for Waterstones in a decade and we have seen unprecedented numbers of click and collect orders today.

“We expect Spare to be one of this year’s bestsellers.”

It was hoped that the release of the book may have led to scores of fans waiting outside – as was the case in 2000 when Harry Potter fans queued outside Waterstones bookshop, in High Ousegate, for the latest Harry Potter book.

Harry Potter fans queue outside Waterstones bookshop in York in July 2000 – some had been queueing since 5am. Picture: Steven Bradshaw (Image: Steven Bradshaw)

York, however, joined the country-wide trend of sparse queues outside bookshops following days of leaks ahead of Spare’s publication.

Queues continue to form at Bettys and the Ghost Merchants 

Although heavy rain came with the book's launch, round the corner from Waterstones a pair of brave diners waited for a table at Betty’s Tea Rooms, St Helen’s Square.

Diners brave the rain for a seat at Betty's Tea Rooms (Image: Dylan Connell)

In the Shambles, the rain did not stop a large queue of customers waiting to enter the York Ghost Merchants.

Customers lined up for the York Ghost Merchants (Image: Dylan Connell)

Do York people care about Spare?

Despite no queues in York for the release of Spare, industry experts have predicted it to be one of the books of the year.

Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller, said that he believed Waterstones when the retailer said Spare had been one of its biggest pre-order titles of the past decade.

The Press asked readers if they would be buying a copy.

A poll by The Press, asked readers: “Will you be buying Prince Harry's tell-all book, Spare?”

Out of the 84 votes cast, 90 per cent answered No, and 10 per cent answered Yes.

The Press also asked readers if they would be buying a copy of the book on Facebook.

One reader replied: “I’ve no comment (until) I’ve read the book and I won’t read it until it turns up at the charity shop, but I probably won’t read it.”

Another said: “No not me.”