This place is a global treasure. One of us had been here 11(!) years ago with friends who live in Newcastle who brought her here, and she loved it so much that she insisted we all go again--so we did. After spending the morning at Alnwick Castle, we came to Barter Books for lunch and browsing. The cafe is adorable and cozy, and our party of seven was promptly seated. You order at the register and you do not want to sleep on the rarebit--it's so good! While it had just a tad too much mustard than remembered, it was still so gooey and heart-warming (and certainly more impressive than the pile of gloop that was our daughter's mac-n-cheese...let's just pretend that never happened). The beans on toast was also comforting and perfect in such a setting. Fries (chips!) are well-made, and the accompanying salad has a tangy vinaigrette. The whole bookstore is a converted train station and it's massive and we would have perused the titles for several more hours had we not had four children in our party. It was still a lovely time exploring the store, roaming the aisles, and getting lost in old books. We bought a few to bring home, as well as some other swag. And obviously you don't want to miss seeing the famed original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. This is just one of those magical places that you really can't describe, but once you go, you'll get it. Five unequivocal stars. read more

Love this place! Neat rooms to explore, fun model train, lots of used books a nice selection of new gifts AND a great and reasonable cafe. Their chips are so good I went back the next day for a snack. read more

Barter Books - Reading room - Bookstores Near Me - Alnwick, NBL

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A great use of an old station. Not being a reader myself, I can understand why people flock to this place. Nice atmosphere, limited toilets but cafe inside. Limited parking around the building. Found a couple of books I enjoyed browsing. 3 computers are available to access the Barter catalog, no internet access. read more

I am stunned we've never been in here before on holiday! Barter books, for those who don't know, is the home of the original "Keep calm and carry on" poster. This former rail station has been turned into one of Britain's biggest secondhand book stores. There are hundreds of books which are kept in lovely old bookcases. Everything is very organised and arranged in a fabulous labrynth, leading you onto a book journey. I'm currently sat in the former waiting room eating a cheese scone (home made and DIVINE) and pinching the free wifi. For this alone they deserve 5 stars, as we are currently mid TomTom crisis and having to re-install all the maps. (Total nightmare) I haven't yet got to the books but I'm looking forward to leaving my kindle at home for once and settling back into a proper paper book. It is quiet here without being imposing and if I had time, I'm sure I could spend all day here! Edit - I forgot to add that the waiting room I'm in still has a lovely original open fire which is lit right now. I'm a sucker for a proper fire.... read more

Holy cow what an amazing place. Located inside an old railway station this is a warehouse of old second hand books. Now don't thing charity shop book store more like library of everything amazing and magical about books. The building still holds it railway magic with a waiting room to enjoy a cup of tea in front of an open fire. While reading your latest find. Isles and Isles of books all put into easy to find topics. Barter Books does what it says on the tin. If you have something a little bit different you no longer want you can bring it in to put against your latest purchase. They don't seem to require standard paperbacks though. This place makes me think of the library in hogwarts it is just such a magical place. My only warning is the parking can be fun. If you can wall in from town it is far less stressful read more

One of the best secondhand bookshops I have ever had the pleasure of visiting, with a good selection of everything you might want. The staff are lovely, but this is the kind of bookshop you visit, browse, read, sit, enjoy, possibly buy, but at the very least spend real time wondering around and enjoying. If I am in this part of the world again this is a definite place to spend a couple of hours in if not more, possibly somewhere to visit on those rare rainy days we get here. Next time I will also sample the tea and cake (it looked delicious but I went off for lunch near by instead). More than worth a visit. read more

Best second hand bookshop I have explored in UK! I love books, especially their smell. You read something and feel part of the world that is described. We can't live without books, which are currently substituted by all new electronic equipment's. But in the end, we return to the old ways and get back to a good old read! Normally I prefer new books, but since visiting this shop I was astonished by it's professionalism, interior design and structure, so much, that I did not mind buying second hand books. Another good thing was that they are cheaper than the new books and still in a very good condition. The building originally was a railway station and a small miniature train still goes around just a bit above the book shelves. You can hear the train making a "tut tut" noise. I believe that there are over 20000 books, if not more, and prices range from 50p to 25k. Lot's of expensive special books to buy! Sit at the open fireplace and enjoy your coffee and cake. Leave your children in the nearby play area and off you go scanning the vast amount of bookshelves containing many different categories. You can find all topics and interests there. Check out their web page - you will get a better feel for the place. Distance: 2h's from Edinburgh and close to Newcastle. read more

This is an amazing bookstore! The building is a former railroad station, which has been really sympathetically redesigned as a used book store. The old waiting rooms have been converted into a small cafe and a reading room and the main station itself is simply filled with books. They sell some antiquarian and rare books, but for the most part they don't seem to be all that selective about what they sell. Lots of trade paperbacks and genre fiction mixed in with the classics. This is also the home of the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster, which now adorns much of their merchandise. Definitely worth a visit. read more

A wonderful bookshop, I don't think there is anywhere quite like it anywhere else. From first editions and antique books with a hefty price tag to modern day best sellers Barter books has the lot. The place is full of character with lots of quirky touches and a cafe if you fancy a coffee or snack. It would be easy to spend a great deal of time here and many people do! An absolute must for anyone who loves books - if you're in the Alnwick area put it on your list of places to visit, you won't regret it. read more

Barter Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alnwick, NBL

Set in the old train station this place is fantastic to find them rare books you always wanted as well as the more common novels - If you dont mind second hand this is a great place to come to. Their is a section for everything, a childrens room, crime, fiction, history The antique books are kept in the glass cases around the walls of the back room There is also a reading room, if you are after something in particular they will see if they can get it for you They also buy books and you can get cash or credit for other books only one box at a time though It is a little expensive though and there is very little parking so you often have to park in the town centre and walk along read more

This bookshop outdoes others. Although a secondhad shop it outdoes other shops. It has a bigger stock, better reading spaces, better staff and a train set. Better than the rest. Browse here. read more

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This is the sort of place where once you've visited every other second hand book shop will suddenly seem very small. The atmosphere and layout are great but be sure you give yourself several hours (at least) for your first visit Last time we visited we tried the cafe. The food was great (bacon/sausage sandwiches) but rather expensive. If I had one criticism it's that you do pay for the selection and great surroundings in the cost of the books which are undoubtedly more expensive than other shops I buy from. That said, this is a must visit for any book lover you won't be disappointed. read more

Quite frankly if you love books this place is paradise with a chocolate coating!!!! If they did Bed and Breakfast I would stay for a week. One of the biggest selections of second hand books in England, there is something for everyone. Hobbies, interest, Antiquarian, out of print, I could go on for ever. They now have a little cafe so you can regenerate yourself and spend even longer there. They also buy books as well so you can trade in books you have bought there and buy more!! I think there is a limit to how much you can take in though. There is a great reading room and log fires in the Winter although with the Summer we have had they have probably been lit all year! I usually park in the centre and walk there as the car park fills up very quickly. Be sure and leave plenty of time to browse as it can be quite daunting when you first go in! read more

A huge second hand bookshop that carries so much stock it is unbelievable. Coffee shop that does a mean bacon sandwich and great reading facilities, even a log burning fire during the cold months. Great atmosphere as well as great books. read more

Great bookshop! Old railway station that's been converted. Really helpfull staff and a great range of books! Check out the train set that runs along the top of the book shelves Nice coffee too! read more

Its a fascinating treasure hunters cavern. I could spend hours here. A book lovers paradise...I am fascinated with the old volumes and the pre-ownership. My friend is an absolute bookworm though, and she wasn't as impressed as she doesn't like the musty smell of old pages or the germy feeling. For me...it was a delicious experience. read more

This is a huge bookshop with an excellent range of secondhand books. There's just so much to say that I don't know where to start. It's situated in the old railway station and has a large and fascinating interior. There's a model train that runs round the top of some of the bookshelves. There's a lovely fireplace welcoming you in the front door. There's a little self-service coffee shop by that fireplace. There's even a more substantial eatery bit through the back. Oh and there's books. Lots and lots of books. There's a kids section, a music section a biography section and so on. The kids bit is situated away from the rest so the kiddiewinks don't piss you off. And it's even got toys in it to keep them busy whilst you get something for yourself. At one time, this was the biggest second-hand bookshop in Europe. I think there's one in Germany now that's bigger, but even so, it's still one of the biggest. It was a major factor in my decision to come and live here. Also of note is that this is the place that discovered the "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster that seems to be everywhere now. Oh and as you may guess from the name, you can bring in your old books and exchange them for new ones. read more

This place is a secondhand book-lover's dream come true! The building itself is the old Alnwick train station, and you can explore the shelves where the tracks used to be and have tea and snacks in the station waiting rooms. An electric train circles the shelves in one of the rooms, and there is a fantastic mural of authors. The book selection is grand - you have everything from £1 used paperbacks to please-inquire-for-price first editions and historical texts. You can bring in your used books and get them valued and then you can exchange them for credit in the store (hence the "Barter"). I loved looking through the travel books - they have guides to London from the 19th century! The shop has plenty of comfy chairs for sitting and having a read, or you can go in the cafe or tea room for a cuppa. This place is a dream and if I am ever in the area again I will definitely come here armed with old books to barter! read more

Barter Books - An electric train circles the shelves in one of the rooms of this shop. - Bookstores Near Me - Alnwick, NBL

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What a terrific place! There is a huge librarynth of books yet the place remains intimate and quiet. The staff are friendly, informed and are never too busy to help. read more

This is the place that good book lovers go when they die. It's like book nirvana. It's a beautiful, quirky, lovely second-hand, rare and and antique bookshop, housed in a disused railway station. There's roaring log fires, a cafe, a coffee machine that has an honesty box, and more books than you can shake a stick at. There are books of every type and on every subject you can imagine. If you enjoy books, ad go anywhere near Alnwick, this place is an absolute must. Just be sure to leave yourself plenty of time. read more

Barter Books is probably the biggest book shop I have ever been in! Me and my girlfriend came in and stopped off in the café for a quick drink before venturing into the aisles, and I must say, I completely lost her. It has been built in an old railway station and has a little antique shop right next to it (I'm not sure if this is part of Barter Books or not). When you go in, you leave books at the front counter that you want to trade in (and get a receipt for them) and then go and browse through the thousands of books that they have, the cheapest I saw at 89p and the most expensive I saw was around £700!!! With the thousands of books in there, it is possible that someone could spend and entire day wandering around reading and deciding what books to buy. The staff are extremely helpful and although they did not have a specific book in that I wanted, were able to help me find a very similar book. read more

Great place to go and browse one of the biggest selection of second had books in the UK. The recently opened cafe is a well needed addition to the honesty coffee and biscuits bit. The bacon sandwiches are great. read more

Great place to browse and buy secondhand and antiquarian books. You always see entranced book lovers wandering around this shop in an ecstatic daze. There's lots of lovely old books and a truly great selection but it can be expensive. Even those who aren't too interested in books will enjoy wandering around and children can play with the toys in the children's room so parents can browse in peace! Lovely location, in an old Victorian railway station. read more

The best second hand bookshop in the universe, not to mention how wonderful Barter Biscuits are. What could possibly beat sitting by an open fire reading the book you just purchased eating a Barter biccie with a cup of tea, sheer bliss. The bookshop itself is a beautiful place to see, it was the old Alnwick railway station and now provides a warren of bookcases to puruse. read more

A charming secondhand bookstore in Alnwick, where you could easily while away many, many hours. The interior is very large, and it used to be a railway station, which makes for charming aspects of design - the old waiting rooms turned into a cafe and reading room, etc. Several cozy places to sit, and free-wifi. The reading room is quiet and warm, as they have a fireplace (one in the front as well!) Also tea and biscuits in the front room, which are inexpensive and paid for on the honor system in a little box. I believe dogs are allowed in here as well, as I remember petting a very sweet one by the front fireplace. Well-organized, but easy to get metaphorically lost in all the wonderful finds. A bit of touristy merchandise for sale up front as well, including an assortment of Keep Calm And Carry On mugs/posters/etc, as this is where the original one was found. Wide assortment of books and genres, as always at secondhand bookstores, some not worth a look and some lovely. I believe they do have some old and rare books but most are just your usual secondhand stuff. But do come visit and come often, get cozy on a chair in front of the fire, and read for hours. But BUY something, won't you, don't treat it as a library because places like this deserve our money! read more

Quite simply the best book shop in Britain. Enough said.

Heaven, never a hardship to go and visit. Make sure you wear a warm coat as the inside is freezing. Also not as many bargains around as there used to be but having it just up the road I rarely buy a new book. read more

This is what bookstores are supposed to be like, keep your waterstones and wh smiths, i'll be looking around this gem of a place. Carrying a massive amount of second hand, rare and hard to find books this dog friendly place has something for everyone, plenty of reading room and some decent food, a visit it a must for book lovers. read more