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!

I went to this Waterstones branch, during a trip to Oldham and it was very quiet as you would…read moreexpect close to closing on a Sunday. An emploee who was very nice greated me and offered to show me where something was - The first book I looked at was Harry Redknapp;s Autobiography he shown me his 2013 one was "new" but the new book was there out in October, he explained he didn't like football but he should know the products they sell. This item was really expensive, £5 more than Amazon but that is just a usual at Waterstones. He also found another product for me, eventually leading in the wrong direction, he did look a little puzzled but found the right product in the end, also around 5 pounds more. Overall, this store is a nice size and has alot of books but I would say this store is for looking at the books before you buy as most of them are too expensive, the staff are nice but they don't really know what they are doing so I feel only 2 stars is fair for this store.

This shop acts as the main shop to serve Oldham Royal Hospital and can often be the only place to…read moreget food from when the cafe is closed, so they do have a decent selection. It is located in the main building, I called in here before a trip to A and E here in the building next store to take a look. They seemed to stock a decent range for a hospital, with some gluten free sandwiches which they also sell in Morrisons, and seems exclusive to Morrisons supermarkets, from what I've seen before. They had a decent range of drinks and newspapers, and even sold lottery which was quite good for a hospital shop. The staff didn't seem too nice, she just seemed to stare at me while I was talking, and adding something at the end, she didn't seem too friendly and welcoming. This shop would probably earn 2 stars had it been elsewhere, but for a hospital shop it is quite good and for this does deserve an upgrade to three, it even has a Costa Express coffee machine inside, which is probably better than the coffee available in the cafe, often served in horrible, paper cups one would often get soup in at a canteen.

I have to give a major shout out to Paramount Books - a fantastic independent bookstore nestled in…read morethe sometimes overlooked and forgotten Shudehill area of town. Ok so there may be a million KFC ripoff takeaways and a few random shops that have seen better days around it but Paramount stands out as a well looked after 2nd hand book store with loads of character! I was pulled in on a wet and windy Monday by their comic book sale - in fact there's a whole area in the back dedicated to rare comics and graphic novels (fantastic selection) - inside there's a fantastic selection covering everything from music and film to politics, history and philosophy - really good to browse and possible pick up a tome to take home (wow that rhymes...) The best part of this place is the owner who basically is exactly what you'd be looking for if casting this place in a Hollywood movie. With glasses dangling from his neck and a scholarly look as he sorts the shelves - the classical music in the background makes you really feel what a unique place this is in the world of chain stores and amazon. Make sure you check out Paramount soon and enjoy a slip back into yesteryear!

Thank the lord for Paramount Book Exchange…read more One of the few independent bookshops left in Manchester, it's a strictly DIY affair run by a genuine book lover. The sign outside suggests it's only open Fridays and Saturdays but it's usually open Monday to Saturday unless the owner has popped out for something. The lively window displays give a great indicator of what's in store with stacks of new, vintage and secondhand books everywhere. Fans of cult fiction, sci-fi, horror, crime noir, queer fiction, biographies and pop culture will find much to treasure here as the stock leans more towards William Burroughs, Poppy Z Brite and Neil Gaiman than Harry Potter. There's also a small selection of 60s-90s vinyl for crate diggers. All they need is a coffee machine and I'd happily move in!

One of the best shops I have been to. A great selection of comics plus a continual supply of…read morespecial offers.

When I lived on Oldham Street many moons ago, I used to pop into Forbidden Planet on a weekly basis…read moreto pick up new copies of The Sandman, The Invisibles and other cool comics. These days, I only venture in now and again for something specific, like Reinhard Kleist's awesome graphic novel based on the life of Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness. For me, the layout and interior of Forbidden Planet lacks the ambience and wow factor of somewhere like Dave's Comics in Brighton but their range of comics, manga and graphic novels is faultless. For true fantatics and collectors, they also stock a massive range of cartoon, comic and pop culture memorabilia including tee-shirts, games, videos and toys. Personally, I have my eye on one of Frank Kozak's toy smoking rabbits complete with eye patch.

Located inside the arcades shopping centre this is a smallish HMV store (compared to some), they…read morestock a wide range of films, tv series, games and music. Always pleanty to choose from, staff are always happy to help you find something or check if something is in stock. I always find the best time to shop in here is when they have offers on, other wise they can be sometimes a bit pricey and a bit of shopping around would find it a bit cheaper. The staff are friendly, the store is well kept and tidy. Alway check the latest managers specials, they have some good deals on games and consoles if thats what your after.

I love this place I shop here for all my dvds cds they have an awesome range of good deals from…read morefilms to music cds and everything is so easy to find if you are looking for something imparticular. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Bit of a dark horse this place…read more It is situated on Rochdale Road close to the Royal Oldham Hospital. It offers all the usual newsagents stuff that you would expect and it is open the usual times. The reason i wanted to review it is for its underrated food service that it offers. It has quite a cult following from what i can gather and it has built a very good reputation in the area for great sandwiches, pies and other snacks. Where i work use Nicks and we won't go anywhere else, they offer great value and go out of their way to please you. They have specials on each day which varies and is always a favourite at my workplace. I first went in the other day and i think amongst other things that the good looking girls that work there go some way to helping this place attract the punters in. In all seriousness though this is an unsung hero for the food it offers and deserves to be mentioned in a positive light.

Just a note to say post office oldham as moved in here in case you were wondering it has made the…read moreshop a bit smaller but still functional the post office is situated at the back

I needed a few books and WH Smiths had just what i was…read morelooking for was in oldham already so popped to the city centre branch. They have a wide range of books and lots had 75 per cent off they also sell diarys. calenders and a decent range of cards staff seemed polite and helpful so i cant complain. This book store isnt as big as the one in the manchester arndale but served its purpose .

Kreator-Coma of Souls. Macabre-Grim Reality…read more Pungent Stench-Been Caught Buttering. Back when vinyl was king these were the first records that I bought from Rocks Off,which at the time (1991) was the premier music shop in Rochdale,although to be fair the competition was pretty much none existant,there was Save Records in the Inside Market but I was never the biggest James Last/Irish Folk/The Bradshaws fan mainly because none of them did songs about inter-dimensional satanic serial killers. Apart from new stuff Rocks Off always bought and sold second hand music as well,and these days second hand stuff is all they sell,and by stuff I mean music,films,games and stuff. It's not a bad shop at all and they do a good line in quality rarities, most of my Misfits vinyl was bought there for a few quid (one of which turned out to be a hundred quid worth of rare which cost me £3.49,oops on their part). It's not all Metal though they sell all genres of music,probably even James Last/Irish.......you get the idea...... You can't beat a good second hand/rarities music shop, and Rochdale has one of the best...

Magma Magma books is possibly one of the coolest shops I…read morehave been into in a long time! Why you may ask? Because it sells MOOMINS merchandise and books!! They sell all sorts of cool things here like books, magazines, swirly notebooks, cuddly toys (moomin ones!), eco friendly stuff which comes in the shape of recycled objects made into something else uselful, the mother board coasters are pretty snazzy! Like the other shops on Oldham street, its only small but the layout is perfectly set out to seem like there is so much space! I love it!

Situated on Oldham Street, but a hop and skip from the Night and Day Café lies this fantastic…read morebookshop. I've been visiting this place for ages, even if it's just to browse through the store and short list future gifts. I've recently acquired some American Film Making/Studies from there (the Steven D. Katz shot by shot/cinematic motion - books that are usually pretty hard to get hold of unless you're on the net. This is one of those places where the staff know what they're talking about and can help either find what you're looking for or influence you enough to take a punt on their own expertly led recommendations in the vast array of different books and magazines in this store (increasingly rare in the accountant led 'United Chaindom'). It's a shame many more shops were as enthusiastic and passionate as the folks behind magma...I know they can't all be this way but it's currently unfairly balanced. One large chain book store dominates now (and with unfortunately less choice, more celebrity led airport reading fodder) and with supermarkets getting in the act of the book market (albeit with a truly disturbing 'array' of 'books') we should be thankful that places like this are still open in our cities. A large section of this shop sells magazines which are more like the aforementioned coffee table books the higher echelon of mags if you will. Film, Architecture, Typography, Illustration, Photography, Graphics, Fashion, Art, Design, Cities all these creative acts and scenarios collude together in the books and magazine range. They sell a top mag called 'Specialten' which is a 'bi-monthly collection of short films, music videos and exclusive interviews' which comes with a DVD for the media. Just reminded myself to pick up the next edition as I type this... This shop (alongside one or two in London village possibly the other two Magma's as it happens) was the only such store to stock Daniel Johnstone's graphics/drawings books (and as such is referred to in the fantastic Daniel Johnstone documentary). Reanimate your creative synapses and spare at least half an hour to imbibe the glorious fractions of the arts world we don't see as much as we should. It's always a pleasure to walk into a store like this, find what you're looking for (or see something jump out at you which grabs your interest by the book ends) and after downpiping your debit/credit details into the 21st Century piggy bank walk from the shop, freshly acquired book in hand. Rifling through the pages of a new 'Ilva Table book' in a nearby boozer/café is one of life's great, small pleasures.