Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK 2019
Key
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure these details are correct, we recommend that you contact each individual bookshop before travelling any distance. Add your bookshop here
G and J Chesters
14 Market Street
POLESWORTH Staffordshire B78 1HW map
tel: 01827 894743
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.30.
Large stock (over 35,000 vols) and a big selection of antique maps and prints. Academic and enthusiasts' books: philosophy, sociology, history, literary criticism, psychology, anthropology, politics, railways, aviation, cookery, gardening, angling, etc. etc.
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsOne of those shops that always has something you want to own. Give yourself plenty of time to wander around. - Tafflin 15.02.10.
Interesting bookshop - now has 45,000 books! Owners glued to computers in warm shut door room so could have walked off with armfuls of books! Presume most business done through Internet but at least the shelves were labeled. - Mary 13.04.13
Right by the Coventry canal down from bridge 53. Non-hurried browsing and welcoming and helpful proprietor (Geoff). V large and wide ranging stock in vgc, particularly most academic subjects from arts to sciences, also good topology, transport, music, prints ... - Ray 02.11.13.
Had a great four hours wandering around the massive holdings in between being given cups of coffee and gossiping with the owner. Found some incredibly esoteric titles. Everything categorised. Well worth a visit. - Chris Harte 16.11.13.
A particularly difficult shop to navigate as there was piles and piles of books on the floors blocking shelving which I wish to peruse and many of the rooms the lights where switched off or there was piles of jiffy bags in the way. Geoff the owner was very helpful as where the staff to my repeated requests for assistance. One thing I would say though is many of the titles need price revisions and the prices are often based on the 'at the time of listing reasonable Amazon Marketplace prices'. However over time they can often become out-dated and 1 book, in particular, was seriously over-priced. In the end, I was able to negotiate a more reasonable price upon my visit. Lastly I was unfortunately not impressed to find more titles in the 45,000 on-site books as I came away with just 3 on WWII/Royal Navy/Aircraft/Military History/Intelligence. - Laurence Batchelor 02.01.14.
What a difference 6 months make! There's a lot of fresh newly arrived stock here including a recent acquisition of 1950s/1960s hardbacks with dustjackets. As ever the owner and his staff where a pleasure to deal with as I came away with 3 books at a discount and could have easily bought more. The shop must be pushing on 60,000 books now and is overflowing. Clearly they could do with bigger premises but still this place is Roast Beef!- Laurence Batchelor 17.05.14.
Wife and I planning a second visit. Allow yourself plenty of time - stock is slightly overwhelming but mostly accessible. We were given tea/coffee/discount/helpful directions to other shops. - Andrew Bradley 03.07.14.
Second visit. Shop very quiet - nice for us as punters. Better able to find our way around this time: our collecting interests on the first floor. Most books seem fairly priced. Discount given. Parking facilities excellent. - Andrew Bradley 12.07.14.
Plenty of books in my fields of interest - especially history and politics - including some rarities. The owner was most helpful and I shall certainly visit again. - Geoffrey Warner 18.03.15. - Laurence Batchelor 18.07.15.My 3rd visit. I made the mistake of parking in the pub car park next door, instead of in front of the shop, and some old battleaxe came out and moaned at me even though I told her I was just visiting the bookshop next door! It was a hot Saturday and the owner was outside pilling up books on the steps leading up to the front door I presume as he was having a clearout. Inside there was fresh stock and even less space to move about. Upstairs it looked like the place had had a tidy up. Downstairs the owner was as pleasant as ever and a discount was offered due to a multiple purchase. Still highly recommended as one of the Midlands best bookshops. It is a pity the town of Polesworth isn't prettier as he would receive more trade then. - Laurence Batchelor 18.07.15.
After not visiting for 2 years the time was right to see if he'd refreshed the stock. Sadly in my areas of interest - Naval/WW2/Maritime/Royal Navy there was nothing new and most of the titles I've seen there for years not selling. There is still a lot of books in piles on the floors which need sorting and categorising. In the end I found 3 books to purchase and each one was found by chance as they were perched in the wrong categories. Prices were reasonable. Upon conversation with the owner he informed me they have taken over the small book room at the nearby Whitemoors Antiques Centre (previously held by Aucott & Thomas trading from Ibstock) and that he is having to move out of his present shop in Polesworth due to the landlord wanting to make them into flats. He is, therefore, to move into a local storage unit in August so you intrepid bibliophiles only have a few weeks to pursue his shop before it closes. Thereafter the stock will be viewable by appointment only. - Laurence Batchelor 31.07.18.
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