"Abandon despair, all ye who enter here", should be inscribed on top of the entrance to The Minster…read moreGate Bookshop. And yes, that's a positive take on the famous "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" of Dante's Inferno, for this place represents, in its entirety, the opposite to the Inferno's loss of hope. The Minster Gate Bookshop is a palace of wisdom, an oasis of knowledge, a refuge of hope and peace. When you walk up the stairs and see every single wall covered in the most magnificent old and modern tomes, you can't help but feel total and complete bliss. The selection of books in all floors is impeccable. It could take me or you days just browsing every shelf. I stumbled upon it on a visit to the Minster of York, the main attraction in town, but on a second visit the York Minster will be relegated to a secondary level of importance. My first stop will undoubtedly be The Minster Gate Bookshop!

A slanted, creaking world of antique books and maps can be found inches from the magnificent York…read moreMinster, tucked within a small alleyway. Having all at once the atmosphere of a bookshop, a museum, and an interesting relative's even more interesting house, the building provides a tranquil haven to become absorbed by fiction and history. The antiquarian volumes are breathtaking and cheaper editions can also be found for students stocking up for the new term. The History room is the loveliest, with an old desk and chair and battered old rug on the floorboards. The views out of the window are equally charming as the rooftops of the city reveal themselves like a Mary Poppins landscape.

Yorkshire Book Clearance Outlet is a great shop for cheap books, which I love as I'm a big reader…read moreand am always keen to buy bargain books. It's a sweet little shop absolutely crammed with cheap books, aka three for a fiver. My only complaint is that they're not in much of an order (such as alphabetical) so you have to have time and patience to weed through them until you find what you want.

Beautiful little bookshop. I came in to look around and found a few Claire Keegan titles I can't…read morefind in the States. Plus, you had Jah Wobble's book (a signed copy)! Brilliant! I can't wait to come back!

We visited this bookstore today - and although it's small, it has an eclectic selection. Also; the…read moreinterior is charming, and the woman working there (owner-?) was very pleasant.

Discount bookshop in the middle of "old York" which seemed a little out of place. But then, it was…read moresurrounded by other high street shops. What drew my eye was their selection of extremely cheap postcards. Where the other shops were selling for 50p each, this place was offering 3 for 50p. I bought a boatload to send back to friends in the States. (It's too bad the postage is still 97p each, lol) They had a good selection of discounted books and magazines too.

Amazing place that accepts you for being you. *Warning* @ Social Refuge where they treat you…read moredifferently if your not like them. I visited this coffee shop recently and left feeling pretty uncomfortable with how I was treated. From the moment I ordered, the staff came across as dismissive and noticeably colder toward me compared to other customers around me. There were a few interactions that felt unnecessarily sharp, and it gave the impression that I wasn't particularly welcome there. I want to be fair, but as a straight customer, the difference in tone and attitude didn't go unnoticed. Whether intentional or not, it made the experience feel exclusionary rather than inclusive. It's a shame because the space itself has a lot of personality, but the service made it hard to enjoy. I'd hope they work on creating a more welcoming environment for everyone.

I get the irony by starting with the quote "don't judge a book by its cover" but tbh this is…read moreexactly what I've been doing every time I've walked past this place in the past few months... Whether it was because the area of town is a bit random, the building a bit unattractive and me thinking it was more of a bookshop - something just seemed to be putting me off. But today in my meeting with Matt F we decided to give it a go and what a great decision it was! First off this place is huge and a labyrinth once inside - one half hipster bookshop, the other half cool cafe with a real nod to health (check out the menu on my pics). A really lovely environment with working fountain and a variety of places to sit. The food was excellent too - my breakfast pancakes were probably the best I've had in Manchester so far which is saying something. Quick note that they don't do sides - at one stage I thought I was going to turn into Jack Nicholson in '5 Easy Pieces' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8 but thankfully the guy sorted us out with a side of toast after I asked nicely...repeatedly... Very friendly staff, great venue. I'll be back soon to work/eat/drink coffee/read a book - or all at the same time!