Nice small shop and sells pretty much any art supplies you need service is also good and it's a low…read moreprice

While in the deserted Galleries shopping centre in Wigan, I called in The Works. This store is…read morestandard size for a store in this franchise. This store is known for having some good deals although the majority of the things in here seemed like junk to me, I managed to pick up a few French accesories, for prices actually cheaper than Amazon and they are good, helpful products. They also do similar things for Spanish. The staff could appear to be friendly, I could tell slightly she did not like me asking multiple questions because I didn't notice that passion, like she doesn't like her job, I asked her about what was in the shopping centre, and she seemed empty with ideas and I asked her about their plans to move into the new complex, and she didn't really know of any. To be honest, a first time Wigan visitor like myself who has spent a day revising the town, had a better knowledge. This store is in a deserted shopping centre what for some reason seemed quite busy so I can't rate it too highly on destination, they was a few nice products but the rest I feel are just junk and the staff could show better knowledge and passion therefore I feel 2 stars is a fair rating.

Lovelly little book shop. Reminds me of something out of harry potter movie Welsh language books…read morefor learners and hisory and mythical stories in bilingual languages. Worth a visit.

If you've ever been in any branch of The Works you'll know exactly what to expect here. They all…read moreseem to be the same size and shape with the same layout and stock. Basically they sell heavily discounted books and craft materials. There's everything from hardback to paperback and from novels to biography and reference books to kids books (my daughter loves this shop). It is a great place to buy gifts because not only is there a wide choice of items but you'll find some real bargains. The only downside (and it's obvious why) is that you won't find new chart books here. Definately worth a browse.

I love The Works - a great place for cheap Gifts, books and craft items. Always have some good…read morebargains and offers on, and especially great at Christmas when you need to find presents. A good place for Kids Gifts, always lots of choice.

As you would expect from a city that boasts about its musical heritage and contribution to pop…read moreculture as much as Liverpool, there a few independent music shops that can be found around the city centre. Music Notes is one of the smaller music stores that I have come across and placed in an odd area of town, in my opinion, to find it. Being small seems to encourage this place to stock mainly small musical instruments. I'm not entirely sure if they offer more online but you wont find any pianos or drum kits although there are plenty of half size guitars, eukeles, bongos and harmonicas. However they do stock a wide range of sheet music and song books. Good for those looking to take up a new hobby or dwarves in folk bands.

A nice and friendly music shop on North John Street. Very helpful staff which meant I didn't have…read moreto hunt through all the books in their well stocked music shop. The shop has been open for over eight years and really know what they are doing. The stock includes music for all abilities and tastes from the beginner to the professional musician. If you want to find the right music to learn to sing or play your chosen instrument be it piano, guitar, saxophone, drums, trumpet, violin, recorder, penny whistle, banjo etc. then you have come to the right place. There is a noticeboard in the entrance of the shop where you advertise concerts and gigs.

This is one of those bookshops that makes you love literature again, not that you'd ever fall out…read morewith it. A labyrinthine warren of wonderment at every turn, I came here on the offchance when I started my Postmodernism module at university. I was seeking out a book by Jane Rogers called Mr Wroe's Virgins, and I was quite excited to be studying a writer that I'd actually been compared to in my creative writing class the former semester. Oh yes, my head was feeling pretty huge. Anyway I hadn't found the thing anywhere, and my father suggested we pop in here and have a looksee. Well, they had the book, of course. There's nothing this place can't do. They had the book in hardback. Have you realised what a great condition hardbacks actually stay in? Mr Wroe's Virgins has been thumbed, pencilled, dragged with me back and forth to the lectures of a certain Dr Rowland (the only reason I did so well in my final semester was because of my all-consuming crush on that man), I've fallen asleep on it in the wee small hours while writing essays and drooled on its pages and the book still looks fresh as the driven snow. Gotta hand it to the hardbacks. You could literally spend hours here. Not only is there a 'new' bookshop for the non-second-hand stuff, but there are no less than eight second-hand book rooms, two rare book rooms, a book-binding and restoration service and school supply as well as there being an open fire in the middle of all this. The only thing it's missing is a cafe - get some hot drinks and brownies on the go and I'll actually move in. No joke. The place is incredibly atmospheric and beautiful. Your head swims with the scent of well-thumbed, well-loved tomes that carry the echo of the laughter, tears or comfort they might have caused. This is my favourite bookshop in the world. The staff are experts and you can tell they adore books, which is always reassuring to anyone browsing or seeking out something specific. It's been going since 1926 and long may it continue.

O.M.D. The Icicle Works…read moreTeardrop Explodes Echo & The Bunnymen Frankie Goes To Hollywood The La's The Coral The Zutons & Candie Payne The list of artists that have bought instruments from Curly Music probably stretches the length of the shop. The reason they've chosen to shop there is simple, it's one of the longest running independent music shops 'run by musicians for musicians'. That means there's a top notch selection of guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, synthesisers, drum machines and percussion from leading brands. Beginners can pick up special guitar packages (including unbranded Telecasters and Marshall amps for a bargain £159) whilst there's a great secondhand section including Rickenbackers, Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls for seasoned musos. Helpfully, Curly also sell spares and mend instruments on site. The thing that's most endearing however, is the staff's obvious love of all things musical. If you don't play an instrument yet, they'll make you leave wanting to!

Curly Music stock a huge range of musical instruments and is one of three musical shops on the same…read morestreet. It is argubly the best of the three. I am no music expert but I don't have to be, as anybody (whether or not you're a novice) will realise that staff here are passionate enough in the field to provide sound advice on all your musical needs. You can feel and sample instruments to your heart's content given permission, which is more than welcome. Curly Music are the most affordable out of the three music stores. It is undoubtedly a well-established independent shop, that ranks high with many music lovers.