A Trip to Barter Books

Barter Books is one of Britains largest second hand book shops and is located in Alnwick in Northumbria. The shop is situated in a converted railway station and is a book buyers paradise. There are books on so many subjects and the place is huge. There is more than enough room to easily manouevre between the shelves and there are places with comfy sofas to browse the books you are interested in.

Barter Books has an extensive collection of first editions and it was fascinating to look at them (you can see but not touch, unless you are a genuine buyer).

I started off with a coffee and a toasted sandwich at the restaurant and then hit the shelves. I managed to restrain myself and only spend £30 - and I got a 10% discount which made the purchase price £27, a worthwhile saving.

I purchased biographies on Augustus John and E M Forster, a book of poetry and a crime novel. Now I'm sitting down and savouring my purchases.

As well as the books, there is a restaurant and on the way out there is a self service coffee, tea and biscuits located in an alcove by a blazing fire. Given we had just had snow it was nice to sit in front of the fire with a coffee (30p) an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie (50p) and a bag of books (£27).

I will be going back there at the first opportunity.


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