Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK 2020
Key
Open at advertised times
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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
International Aid Trust
Book and Record Shop
15 Albert Road
MORECAMBE Lancashire LA4 4HD map
tel: 01524 413345
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsOne of the best charity bookshops in the north-west, with books neatly displayed floor to ceiling in catagories, mainly in author order, with steps readily available. Prices range from low to fair, with many bargains and hard-to-find gems. Friendly and welcoming. The Wanderer. 29.07.08
At the south-western end of Morecambe in a street with a remarkable number of charity shops mainly to do with this same local charity, this is a medium sized shop with a remarkably diverse stock. The floor was a bit chaotic with a lot of excess stock in boxes and piles when I was there but the shelves were well laid out, the staff were friendly and, in comparison to the better located Old Pier Bookshop, the shop was surprisingly busy with people. Well worth the 10 minute walk from the centre of town. - Jeremy Briggs 14.08.08.
The Old Pier Bookshop
287 Marine Road Central
MORECAMBE Lancashire LA4 5BY map
tel: 01524 409360
Add a comment Read commentsHide commentsOn Morecambe seafront between the RNLI station and the clock tower, even if you didn't know exactly where is was located you would still find it with its large wall sign and collection of pavement bookcases. From the outside it looks like a typical seaside tourist targeted secondhand bookshop with the usual paperback fodder and familiar hardbacks on the outside bookshelves. Inside the big shop stretches off into the back of the building with glass cases and alcoves full of books giving the impression of a real box of delights. Unfortunately closer examination shows alcoves blocked with book trolleys and boxes preventing access to others, while some even have collapsed piles of books abandoned on the floor. The shop is divided into subject sections but there is little or no alphabetisation in them with the science fiction section, which takes up the entire back room from ceiling to floor plus cardboard boxes, having no discernable order whatsoever. With the sheer amount of stock you will probably get something from the shop, assuming that you haven't despaired at the amount of time it takes to wade through the titles in the section you are interested in. - Jeremy Briggs 14.08.08.
Tatty is the first word that springs to mind. Most of the stock is damaged and creased paperbacks, no real order to the shop other than science-fiction/fantasy being in separate area, and most of the stock generally is over-priced tat. Oh yes, there is also a young puppy, not house-trained, so watch where you step. I am not joking. The Wanderer. 14.12.08.
The last comment I'm sorry to say is very accurate. I had quite a bad experience when greeted by the owner who went out of his way to try and convince me said tat was a lot more valuable than it was. I felt so uncomfortable that I had to abandon the few (barely car boot sale worthy) books I had picked up and leave quickly when he wasnt looking. Furthermore the comments application on the nothing to see here old pier bookshop site that most people find first by WWW search does not work, it is my opinion that the few comments on the website were written by the owner as they are evidently very misleading. - John 20.10.11.
Very poor customer service, low quality at high prices, not the old fashion bookshop experience you might expect, I advise avoidance. - Joe 20.10.11.
The book shop is big.The books are not classified. The owner however is a very polite man and very helpful too. There are few serious books, mostly they are light fiction. - abstracthinker 24.07.12.
The Old Pier Bookshop is one of the main attractions of Morecambe. It's like an Aladdin's cave - you never know what you may find there, which adds to its charm. Its quirky interior makes it unique. Its owner obviously has a passion for what he does and is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Every time, I have visited this bookshop, I have discovered many wonderful books that have all been excellent additions to my library. Any visit to Morecambe is enhanced by visit to this bookshop. Go with an open mind, enjoy its unique interior and let chance help you to discover a, or many, fantastic find(s) and if chance doesn't work then ask the owner - a lovely man who is always willing to help. - Khetran 18.07.13.
Visited here today, the shop is clean (no dogs around) and easy to get around, the books are not particularly well ordered but that's a minor complaint. The owner was very friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a visit. - Jakob1978 298.09.13.
On the strength of the last two reviews I drove to Morecambe specifically to visit the Old Pier Bookshop... I wish I had never bothered. Once you have negotiated the tat outside you will be faced with books that are strewn about in uncategorised shelves and in precarious piles of no particular order. There is no system whatsoever, so there's no point in even bothering to find the section that contains your interests - the books will be all over the shop! If you're lucky you might strike a seam somewhere in the chaos and dirt, but that's only if the books came in together. a previous reviewer found it quirky - I certainly didn't and came away empty handed. - Nicholas Pendower 18.07.14.
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