Blandiver, what's the name of the one behind the Arndale? I must look that one out sometime.

While you're in Manchester check out the Paramount Book Exchange, 25-27 Shudehill. Dirty mags galore and loads and loads of unbelieveable tat. But their stock is extremely cheap and it is possible to pick up the odd raving bargain. As one reviewer put it it "you'd have to be deaf, blind and high to appreciate the place".

Also worth noting pricewise is a huge, rambling bookshop cum cafe on Bridge St in Llangollen. Llangollen, being the location of the International Eisteddford, used to attract hordes of wealthy American tourists who were quick to take advantage of what were then very favourable exchange rates. So the shop owner used to sell his stock for about twice what any serious collector in this country would have paid. Then along came the recession, the tourists stopped pouring in and now everything is 1/2 marked price.

Talking of Manchester, were you ever in Jimmy McGill's on Oxford Road? Loads of stuff on Ireland and a lot of other subjects as well. Jimmy was a fantastic raconteur who would ply the punters with cups of tea and stories about every book on the premises. Alas, he has long since gone to that great bookshop in the sky, but brother, what a character!