W H smith in Stockport is located in the merseyway shopping centre just opposite woolworths…read more Downstairs there is a wide range of magazines, stationery items and craft items. Upstairs they sell books, games, dvds and music. The book shop is well stocked and the staff are knowledgable about the books. They often have buy one get one half priced offers on the books which is really good.

WHSmith seem to have stores everywhere these days, and that's why on a recent trip to Stoke…read moreon-Trent I knew I'd find one! This is quite a large store, even with a Post Office at the back and a good selection of stationary. As with most places in Stoke, I feel a review for this place is really needed, as they hasn't been one for over 7 years. It is actually quite an unusual time to be reviewing this store with its' closure confirmed in April, with a likely relocation on the cards, although one hasn't been confirmed, which is a shame, as based on my visit today, this seems to be one of their better stores. This store is a good size, and isn't too big either, it has a decent range of books, a good range of stationary and parcel equipment as well as maths sets, tutor books etc. The staff here seemed okay, they didn't really stand out, but they seemed polite. The store seemed quiet on my visit, with small numbers of staff and customers in the store, They had one self-service till, which makes me think as this store didn't really seem busy, maybe they are right to be shutting up shop soon, as they are not getting the customers in. It's in a mid-floor position in the Potteries center too, so it is in a good location and I feel too large of a store ruins the vibe a little, this store is slightly nicer and more modern than some of my local stores in Middleton,Manchester and The Manchester Arndale too. It's a nice store, with good selection and average staff and in a good location, it is just a shame about the pricing of certain items, but still deserves a solid 3!

W H Smiths is a big open store with great access to for disabled people and pushchairs…read more They have recently put the post office at the back of the store. The shop sells books, dvds, music, calenders, diaries and magazines. The store is always spotless. The staff are friendly, polite and helpful.

Waterstone's in Altrincham town centre is probably one of my favourite stores within the town…read morecentre especially after the closure of the Carphone Warehouse store which was virtually opposite this one. It is a fairly large and modern store and it does stand out more than most within the town centre's shopping street, especially with the dark nights drawing in through these cold winter months and it is one of the larger stores on George Street anyway. It does shut early but this is common in the town centre and I did find the store again to be a little understaffed considering I did visit at quite a busy time (Saturday, the run-up to Christmas). 3* - Nice book-store for a big town, obviously it is a chain and I feel a little uneasy about paying higher prices at a chain compared to online retailers unless it is at an independent book-store, again this store doesn't compare to larger branches in larger towns and shopping centres but still it isn't a bad alternative if you don't fancy heading into Manchester from Alty.

Excellent, large bookshop. Ony downside i have is seeing how much i've spent everytime i go in…read more I like that it has a large 'local section, and makes sure that each department has a good selection of local knowledge, authors and information. The shop is spaced over 3 floors, and all of the aisles are well spaced to alow people to getpast each other easily. Also means that you can sit down and read a chapter or 2, although his does appear to be slightly frowned upon! They are also happy to order in books whenever i have asked, and normally take a deposit, although this may have more to do with the price of the reference books i was ordering. I have also seen a few signings, and signed bokos on sale.

A really big bookshop in Hanley, which possibly suffers from ebing a bit out the way from the other…read moreshopping sectors in Hanley. It has an excellent section of genres and types of books, as well as a good section of audiobooks. The staff are very helpful, and will go out of their way to help you find the books you want. I've also been lucky enough to get several books signed when they;ve had seopcial signing mornings in the shop. The arts and crafts department is very very good, and caters perfectly for anyone from kids in primary school to students doing art degree. The quality of materials is as good as at any specialist shop, with the added bonus of it being a bit cheaper!

This is quite a large store for a small town, It is on 2 levels if you enter of the main stree it…read morebrings you into the book dept. There are every type of books from fiction to reference, childrens books and learning books. They have a range of books that complement the Oxford learning tree that children use at school as well as learn at home workbooks. There are travel guides, paper backs, atluses. If you go down the steps into the second part of the store there is another enterance/exit that leads into the precinct. Here they have newspaper, magazine, gifts like sponser a monkey Lots of stationary from simple pencils to expensive Parker pens. Theres a small confectionary part, Cd's, Dvd's., and another till; theres another till near the enterance/exit at the top of the store. It a good shop well worth a look if your looking for a present or need a book. They have offers regularly advertised in the window and you can pre-order books. The staff are friendly and knowledgable.

W H Smith in Buxton is not huge. It is situated on two levels with an entrance from the main street…read moreand one from the precinct. On the plus side the book area is quite large and there is a large selection of books for all ages and all tastes. However once you step down to the other level you find that too many different items have been crammed into too smaller place which means the choice is small. There is a small DVD section, a small CD selection and other small areas for cards, stationary, magazines and gifts. On a Saturday the place gets very full and there tends to be no where to move.

I've no idea why but the Stockport branch of this discount chain store seems to get better stock…read more Whilst the fiction section in the Manchester branch seems to consist of bad chick lit, mainstream crime and debut novels heading for the pulper, this branch gets some cracking crime noir. The first time I went I picked up some Walter Mosley and George Pelecanos hardbacks and the last time, I got copies of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone and Scott Philips' The Walkaway. The first two had a couple of marks on the spine but as I'm a book lover rather than a librarian, I couldn't care less. The only thing that matters to me is following the words and where-ever they take me. Walter Mosley reads the blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugFfZwULgoo

The staff are second to non in the Stockport branch. I needed multiples of a certain item they…read morestock and the manager pulled out every stop to get the stock I needed. He also personally drove to other branches to collect the stock for me!! You simply don't get staff like this these days. A credit to the company!

Nice large store located in crewe town centre. They sell a large wide range of cards and gifts for…read moreall different occasions. This is a nice laid out store with everything easily labled. The staff are very helpful when you need them and know alot about there job and the different types of products available. Good priced items. Also contains a small thorntons store for all those extra treats.

A rather strange cross between a corner shop and a pound shop and a newsies, Copson News sells…read morepretty much everything you'll need (apart from le Booze, go to A&S for that) in a pinch but for a price. You can pick up the usual array of newwspapers here, and they occasionally stock coolio magazines such as D&C. What I always noticed is that they stock a large amount of kids' magazines, which always seem to have much better free gifts than Girl Talk (the magazine that taught me everything, until I moved on to J17, which taught me everything *else*...) used to have. They also stock two or three Irish newspapers. So if you need to know what the craic is, this is your place. There's a small range of non-confectionery foodstuffs, but this is no place for buying your Sunday lunch, more a place to pick up an emergency tin o' beans. The sweetie section is jolly good, and you can pick up old faves such as Wham bars, as well as making your own mix-up. For those favouring a saltier snack, you can pick up a packet of cashew nuts for £1, which is super cheap! And the pack is adorrned with a picture of a nut who is a soldier. I think they're going for a colonel/kernel kinda visual pun. As well as minimal food, maximum news and sweeties, this shop sells weird toys like Bratz dolls that seem totally out of place, and a range of bathroom items, just in case you've run out of your Radox bubble bath. All in all, this is not a shop you'd go to every day, but if you should ever need it, you'll be glad it's there.

Fine newsagents on the busy, slightly ramshackle Copson Street. I've been buying my papers here for…read moreyears, and it's surprising just how much they manage to pack into this shop. Amongst the hundreds of papers and magazine titles, there lies the obligatory 'tuck shop' where all the 'favourites' are representedin fact the owner possesses fine knowledge on the world of sweets - ask for an item and they'll most likely have it or will advise you on the demise of a certain confectionery (I tried recently - those razor thin mint melts are sadly no longer available). The other side of the shop is taken up with children's toys and games and anything else from shampoo to mysterious tight wear. Helpful and friendly staff at all times.