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Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland

News:
Poor Richard's Books is closing at end of September 2021
New bookshop Books and Vintage
Beckham Books is renamed Chilton Books
Besley's Books is now online only
Ann Green has closed
Landers Bookshop is closed
Books and Vintage has closed
New bookshop at Lavenham Guildhall
H G Crisp no longer stocks books
New bookshop Books and Prints, Lowestoft
Books and Prints, Lowestoft has closed
New shop Moral of the Story Bookstore Lowestoft, replacing Books and Prints

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Open at advertised times   Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling   Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary   Appointment necessary
Status unknown, update requested Status unknown, update requested

We do our best to make sure these details are correct and up-to-date. However we recommend that you contact bookshops before making a special journey.

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BASIC Life Charity Bookshop/FELIXSTOWE/312 High Street Walton
BASIC Life Charity Bookshop  Open at advertised times
312 High Street Walton  FELIXSTOWE  IP11 9QJ
map
tel:  01394 279400  e-mail   web
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 4.00
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One room of books, standard donated stock at cheap prices.


Barnabees Books/WESTLETON/Yoxford Road
Barnabees Books    Open at advertised times
Yoxford Road    WESTLETON  IP17 3AF
map
tel:  07456 609790   e-mail
Open:  Thursday - Sunday 11.00 - 5.00.
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General secondhand books. No connection with Barnabees Books in Hay-on-Wye.

Found plenty to buy at very reasonable prices. Tyona, the owner, is charming, and made some really useful suggestions re my area of interest - will return ...  Bob 04.05.17
Great shop in a beautiful village, super reasonable prices and an interesting fresh stock. I will return!  Gary M 03.06.17
Life changing experience today meeting the lovely lady in the bookshop. Restored my faith in humanity. Thank you.  Dan 10.08.17
Very cool bookshop. Prices very friendly, broad interesting stock.  Jas 23.12.17
Was passing on Sunday 09 sept with my wife and popped into the art and bookshop. Tyona was utterly charming and reminded us both of how life should be. We came away uplifted and with a smile on our faces.  Sukh 01.10.18
One of my favourite bookshops. We visited on Friday 27th August. Free parking. Very warm welcome from the owner Tyona. Fiction and nonfiction (many different topics to choose from). Very well priced. We spent an hour and a half looking at books and chatting with Tyona. We brought a pile of books and came away very happy. Look out for the lovely homemade soap for sale at the till point. We will definitely be returning next time we are in Suffolk.   Jayne 29.08.21
Great shop! Laid out serendipitously but not higgledy-piggledy... we always find great books.   Bandol 04.06.22
Still one of my favourite bookshops. Free car park. Very warm welcome from the owner Tyona. Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback. Very well priced. We bought a pile of books. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to have a good look around.   Jayne  21.06.22
Lovely owner here. Shop is organised to an extent but not regimented. Allow time to have a good look round. We came away with some very well priced items and were given a discount. Plenty of people popping in and out whilst we were there. Well worth visiting.  David 28.09.23
Worth diverting for from the A12 on the way to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. One of the best secondhand bookshops in East Anglia.  Stephen Trinder 14.11.23
A must visit for all second hand book lovers. It's still one of my favourite book shops. A very friendly welcome from the owner Tyona. A large book shop. Give yourself plenty of time to have a good look around. Fiction and nonfiction. HB and SB. Very reasonable prices. We normally come away with a pile of books but this time we came away with a big box of books. Look out for the beautiful friendship bracelets for sale at the till point made by Tyona’s niece. I brought two. Will definitely visit again next time we are in the area.   Jayne  03.07.24

Book Cellar/STONHAM ASPAL/Stonham Barns Retail Village
The Book Cellar  Open at advertised times
Stonham Barns Retail Village  Pettaugh Road   STONHAM ASPAL   IP14 6AT
map
tel: 07825 618735  e-mail 
Open:  Tuesday - Sunday 10.00 - 5.00.
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New and quality secondhand books. Good range of non-fiction and children's books. Come and browse in possibly Suffolk's smallest bookshop.

Notice on door said "NO MASK NO ENTRY" so we didn't go in. Free car parking.  Jayne 08.09.21

Books and Crannies/BECCLES/Exchange Square
Books and Crannies     Phone before travelling
Exchange Square  BECCLES  NR34 9HH
map
e-mail   web   
Open:  Wednesday & Friday 10.00 - 2.30, Thursday 10.00 - 4.00, Saturday 10.00 - 5.00 but check first
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A range of secondhand books in a variety of genres. Please note we are not currently purchasing second hand books.

Well laid out shop. Most categories catered for. Prices seemed fair. Probably not worth a special visit but worth checking out if in the area.  David 28.09.23
Extremely smart premises,the best I've seen in ages, but the stock doesn't live up to the look of the shop in my opinion, being rather undistinguished and with far too many wretched paperbacks. NWAD,sadly.   Laurence Purcell 08.06.24

Chapel Books/SAXMUNDHAM/The Street
Chapel Books  Open at advertised times
The Street  Westleton   SAXMUNDHAM   IP17 3AA
map
tel: 01728 648616 
Open:  7 days 12.00 - 5.00.
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Large general stock.

A wonderfully eccentric medium-sized bookshop with an excellent stock and a unique atmosphere.  Jonathan 06.08.09
The building is a defunct chapel. Go inside and see piles of junk in all directions, festooned with books. The general appearance is of cheap junk. I've been here several times and never bought anything. Not WAD.  Roger Pearse 02.03.10
Completely disagree with R. Pearse. This old chapel is a bit bizarre yes, but it is reasonably organised. WAD and worthy of exploration I obtained a couple of real wants here. NOTE the village of Westleton is between Aldeburgh and Southwold and is not in Saxmundham.  Norman Davies 16.07.10
A good selection of books reasonably well arranged. Coffee and tea offered at different times during my visit. I thought the books very pricey and bought nothing. There were certainly things I wanted, but I was not happy paying far more than at nearby shops.  Gibbonstrangler 14.08.12
Plenty to attract the interest with biography a strong point. The offer of coffee was a welcome bonus.  The Herne 26.03.13
Shortly after entering I was offered a coffee - after a splendid browse I had to summon the owner to pay for my purchases not by bells but by whacking a tin can - marvellous !  Gavin Richardson 26.09.13
Quirky shop; old fashioned perhaps, but an interesting place to browse. Not that big really and the prices of the few things that grabbed my eye were a bit more than I would have paid. Large military section. Didn't see the owner, so no coffee invite. I guess he was out the back or I looked like a tourist. Not sure I'd go out of my way to return.  Flip M 30.01.16
An interesting selection and a few we would have bought but found the prices to be rather high.  David 28.09.23
We decided to go back to Chapel books and have another look. Although as previously noted some are a bit expensive we found others that were more reasonable and made a few purchases. The owner is also open to negotiation. With Barnabees as well Westleton is worth a visit.   David 29.09.23

Chilton Books/SUDBURY/Chilton MountNewton Road
Chilton Books    Phone before travelling
Chilton Mount  Newton Road    SUDBURY  CO10 2RS
map
tel:  01787 373725, mob 07584662155  e-mail   web
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00.
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16000 books on shelves in a purpose-made bookstore and bindery. Specialists in theology, local history and leather bindings. We are not a shop but you are welcome to browse our stock if you are passing. Please call first in case I'm out for a walk with the dogs!


Clare Antiques _ Interiors/CLARE/The MillMalting Lane
Clare Antiques & Interiors   Status unknown, update requested
The Mill  Malting Lane    CLARE  CO10 8NW
map
tel:  01787 278449  e-mail   web
Open:  7 days Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00.
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One of the biggest antique warehouses in Suffolk with with a bookroom and numerous stalls with books.

I'm afraid I didn't have time to inspect Harris & Harris, as I was too busy in the book department of the antique centre to which Jon Morgan refers. The section on intelligence (CIA, MI6, etc.) is one of the most remarkable I have seen and well worth a special visit for aficionados.  Geoffrey Warner 03.05.13
The above puff sent me on a visit in anticipation. I wish I hadn't wasted my time.  Chris Harte 08.10.13
Did Chris Harte make it to the second floor? As well as CIA, M16, Cold War etc this place has an excellent art department as well as serious(non -celebrity) cookery. Antiques centres and books are normally dreadful but this place is a notable exception.  rickenbacker 05.08.16
Substantial variety of books scattered across three floors, with the principal areas at the top of the stairs on the first floor and at the back of the second. Mainly military subjects, and a lot of transport. Prices good if a little random (there seem to be a lot of titles costing a fiver - which either might turn out to be a bargain or a touch overpriced depending on what you pull out). Pleasant cafe on the ground floor, although railway aficionados will probably head for the disused station a short stroll away.  Steven Kelly 10.08.17
Centre being rebuilt August 2019 but surprised by large sized nearly shop size book unit on 2nd floor. Good selection, fair pricing. Also good unit on 1st floor. Worth a detour if in west Suffolk.  Norman Davies 15.08.19
As Norman Davies says, the second floor unit counts almost as a proper shop. I found it rather hard work to fathom the scheme of classification, though I'm sure it exists. Quite good sections on literature but the books are not arranged in alphabetical order which I suppose some may think adds to the fun.   Laurence Purcell 24.09.21
Website said this place was closed until spring 2023. No reply when phoning to check on this. Arrived on 27th of September to find it still closed. Most of the building seems to have been converted to flats now.  David 28.09.23

David Shacklock Books /DEBENHAM/27 High Street  
David Shacklock Books   Phone before travelling
27 High Street    DEBENHAM  IP14 6QN
map
e-mail
Open:  Tuesday 10.00 - 1.00 & 2.00 - 5.00, Friday 2.00 - 7.00, Saturday 10.00 - 4.00.
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10 -12,000 general stock, antiquarian, hardback, paperback, ephemera. I exhibit at bookfairs in Long Melford & Dedham. Payment by cash or cheque.

I walked into this delightful shop and was absolutely dumbfounded by what I saw on the shelves. It was so overwhelming with its breadth and quality that I stepped outside to compose myself. After viewing the stock, I purchased the most number of books I have ever done in one visit anywhere. Prices were easy on the cheque book. A charming owner of the old school. This shop must be on the visiting list of any serious collector.  Chris Harte 16.09.09
A revisit which was well worth the detour. Good turnaround of stock in the past three years, and some most interesting boxes of magazines. Prices very acceptable.  Chris Harte 08.10.13
Owner is a true gentleman, helpful and friendly. Stock well presented. Well worth a visit to this beautiful village and Church.  Richard Fuller 08.08.15

Framlingham Bookshop (was V.S Bell)/FRAMLINGHAM/19 Market Hill
Framlingham Bookshop (was V.S Bell)    Open at advertised times
19 Market Hill    FRAMLINGHAM  IP13 9BB
map
tel:  01728 723046  e-mail
Open:  Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00
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Reasonably priced general range of secondhand and antiquarian books, with specialities in theology, poetry, and literature.  Also offers a book search and ordering service.

A lovely little shop, full of good stuff, with a knowledgeable and friendly owner. A little disorganised, but extremely rewarding to explore.  Jonathan 06.08.09
Agree with Jonathan: a friendly small but closely packed shop with some unusual worthwhile titles.  Norman Davies 16.07.10
Agree entirely with Jonathan and Norman Davies. Although principally a historian, I have interests across the humanities and social sciences and found items of interest here at a reasonable price.  Geoffrey Warner 15.12.11
A typical village bookshop. Good children's section which appeared to be very popular with the new Polish migrant community. Otherwise general stock.  Chris Harte 08.10.13
Small shop, easy to find in Framlingham market square. General readers stock that appears to be taking over all available floor space but fails to shine.  Son of Drif 15.09.14
I`m sure the lady in the shop didn`t mean to be rude, but she came across as this. Having just been to two very good bookshops in Felixstow, this shop can`t compare, in its stock or pricing. I felt when leaving there that the lady "serving" thought we had intruded on her. Won`t be going back.  Peter Wiley 03.08.18
This still says you are open on Mondays. You are not, as I discovered yesterday on a forty-mile round trip!  Melvyn Barnes 18.01.20
Please note shop no longer open on Mondays.  Victoria Bell 18.01.20
Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback. Pricey and not many bargains. I bought one book. I wouldn't make a special journey.   Jayne  21.06.22
Under new management since May 2023. Disregard older reviews - and if you visit please supply new ones.  TBG2 04.10.23
At first sight a paperback parade, a wall of these undesirable items confronting one in the fiction section on entering the shop. However, it turns out that there is a limited amount of hardback fiction as well, cowering in floor level shelves, an unhelpful place for old and creaky fiction lovers. The rest of the stock is predominantly hardback and all major categories are covered. Worth investigating if you are in these parts but it's not a huge stock. The proprietor is pleasant and helpful.   Laurence Purcell 01.06.24

Gainsborough_s House Museum/SUDBURY/46 Gainsborough Street
Gainsborough's House Museum    Open at advertised times
46 Gainsborough Street    SUDBURY  CO10 2EU
map
tel:  01787 372 958  e-mail   web
Open: 7 days 10.00 - 5.00
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4 shelves of quality secondhand books as well as a selection of new publications, relating to Thomas Gainsborough, Art and Sudbury. The Museum shop has gift ideas for all the family, and prints from members of our print workshop. Also featuring local artists and showcasing silk products from Sudbury's famous silk manufacturers.

The museum is closed till spring 2022, I was told in the tourist information office. Collectors avid to inspect those four shelves must contain themselves till then.   Laurence Purcell 24.09.21
Now re-opened so three years of breathless waiting are rewarded. The four shelves of secondhand books survive though possibly in a new configuration. Mostly art books, which is reasonable, but not particularly cheap. NWAD for the books but worth a visit for the museum/gallery, of course.  Laurence Purcell 18.05.24

Harris and Harris Books/CLARE/3a High Street
Harris and Harris Books   Open at advertised times
3a High Street    CLARE  CO10 8NY
map
tel:  01787 277 267  e-mail   web   
Open:  Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00
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Two floors of new and old books on all subjects for readers of all ages. Large selection of motoring and motor racing books and pottery by Jean Knowles. Book orders and browsers welcome.

Pleasantly laid out shop, easily found on the High Street in Clare. Seems to have a good if small general stock, with strong emphasis on cars and motoring, but there is a little of everything else as well.  Richard B 27.10.11
This is a real gem of a place, with some really high quality second hand books. The Anthony Price set (HB) really tempted me and the varied subject matter covered is really impressive for a shop combining new and used books. The atmosphere and layout is very pleasing and the owner offers top gift-wrap all purchases. It was clear that she is well patronised for new books by local customers as she rang three customers to tell them that their orders were in whilst I was there. The decor and the pottery really make it a pleasure to visit. A model for independent bookshops elsewhere and well worth supporting. There is also a large antique centre a few minutes walk away with a large selection of books on the second and attic floors. General stock and a fantastic selection of SOE related / Post war / Cold-war books at really stupid prices - a great disappointment. The centre is made up of separate units with a central till so little or no room for negotiation. Worth a visit and the Harris and Harris worth a detour.  Jon Morgan 03.03.12
A great and always changing collection, and ordered books are as fast as Amazon (and I never have to worry about whether they will fit through the mail slot). Highly recommended.  Linda 19.01.13
Having read the above I paid a visit. Good for a country town but little else. The private press holdings in the antique shop next door were quality and incredibly low priced. Purchased quite a few.  Chris Harte 08.10.13
Nice little shop, an almost boutique-like change from the usual secondhand bookshop layout. A mix of new and secondhand titles on the ground floor with all secondhand titles in the small upper floor area. Prices fine in the main, some on the higher side; certainly no giveaways. As others have testified this is very much a local shop, well used by the town, which is again (sadly) unusual these days. Nice to see an book ordering service so well patronised in today's online world.  Steven Kelly 10.08.17
Smaller than it sounds from the description and l must confess to a dislike of hybrid shops of this kind. Still, well worth visiting if you're in this charming little town.   Laurence Purcell 24.09.21
Currently no secondhand stock here as it has been packed away prior to the shop moving in about a month's time according to the lady in the shop.  David 28.09.23
A propos of this lovely little shop, I 'popped' in to spend the rapidly expiring voucher from my sister a few days ago.

Whilst it is primarily a new bookshop with an excellent stock and a very fast ordering procedure... (mine was with them in just two days - Faster than the A word behemoth) there is, nevertheless, a small secondhand section. It may be small, but it is packed in all senses with some great and carefully selected titles. A superb motoring section, some quality titles in fiction, history and poetry.

The staff are very knowledgeable and ETGOW and I have promised to drop a TBG poster in when I collect my book, hopefully on Friday.

It is not really WAD for a second hand visit, which is why it has taken me so long to spend the voucher, but it is a really lovely independent shop in a beautiful little Suffolk town and what every small town should have at the heart of their community. This shop is firmly at the heart of their community.
  Firedrake 20.11.24

Idler/IPSWICH/37 High Street
The Idler  Open at advertised times
37 High Street   Hadleigh   IPSWICH   IP7 5AF
map
tel: 01473 827752 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 5.00, Wednesday 9.30 - 1.00.
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General stock and the fine, applied and performing arts, natural history local books and poetry.

Nice shop with very friendly and helpful staff. Visited 2 or 3 times a year and usually find something. Small car park across from shop accessible past main shopping centre.  Richard Fuller 08.08.15

John Crawford Books /BURY ST EDMUNDS/The Risby Barn Antique Centre  Risby  
John Crawford Books   Open at advertised times
The Risby Barn Antique Centre  Risby    BURY ST EDMUNDS  IP28 6QU
map
tel:  01284 811126  e-mail
Open:  7 days 10.00 - 5.00.
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A selection of reasonably priced, secondhand books. Always interested in purchasing a wide range of secondhand and antiquarian books.

We went to Risby on a cold and miserable winter's afternoon and found John Crawford's section at this interesting antiques centre well worth a visit. The stock was well priced and varied and we bought some quite unusual things. Sadly the mood of the old bat who oversaw the whole centre reflected the weather, and was enough to put off anybody buying anything. Let's hope that the next time we visit they've found someone who knows something about customer relations!  Nicholas Pendower 16.02.13
A ramshackle buiding / set of buidings with various 'antiques' or toot dealers depending on your perspective. The stock here was not extensive but some good quality history an warfare books at reasonable prices. Take Arctic explorer gear as the man on the desk , and I quote 'could not be arsed to change the gas bottle!!!'  Jon Morgan 26.01.15
Visited the Risby Barn the other day and found a great selection of books on a wide range to suit all taste. Came away with far more books than I had meant to buy. The Building also contains a lovely antique centre and the staff were professional, knowledgeable and very helpful.  Ticktock 18.07.15
There don't seem to be as many books here as I remember from a previous visit but that could be due to age and the mists of time. Having said that found a set of long sought volumes at a very reasonable price.   David 28.09.23

John Crawford Books /LAVENHAM/Timbers Antiques _ Collectables Centre  High Street  
John Crawford Books   Open at advertised times
Timbers Antiques & Collectables Centre  High Street    LAVENHAM  CO10 9PT
map
tel:  01787 247218  e-mail
Open:  7 days, 10.15 - 4.30
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A selection of mostly second hand hardback books covering a range of subjects. Some antiquarian books on offer. Always interested in purchasing a wide range of second hand books.

A quite large and good selection here - particularly local interest, history, military, topographical, transport. Part of an excellent antiques centre well worth a visit.  Antiquarian 31.05.11
Not by any stretch of the imagination a bookshop, just a few hundred books on folding shelves tucked into a small antiques centre. NWAD.  Richard B 27.10.11

Lavenham Guildhall Bookshop (National Trust)/LAVENHAM/Market Place
Lavenham Guildhall Bookshop (National Trust)   Open at advertised times
Market Place  LAVENHAM  CO10 9QZ
map
tel:  01787 247646  e-mail   web  
Open: 10.30 - 3.30 many days, see their calendar
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The NT shop has recently been converted into a bookshop with a small donated stock. Most hardbacks are £2, paperbacks £1. Also DVDs and CDs.
No NT membership or payment is needed to visit the bookshop.

This is not a very good bookshop. It does not have much stock and the books which they do have are the kind, not surprisingly, that people give away: cookery books, out of date travel guides and novels that you read once and won’t do again!! There is a better charity bookshop in this small town at the church of St Peter and St Paul only quarter of a mile away. It’s also a great walk thro’ the best preserved medieval town in England. This church is also a real treat of English Gothic and Perpendicular architecture!  PeterD 18.09.22

Moral of the Story Bookstore/LOWESTOFT/132 High Street
Moral of the Story Bookstore  Open at advertised times
132 High Street  LOWESTOFT  NR32 1HP
map
  web   
Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10.00 - 4.00
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Second-hand bookshop opened in October 2023. General stock, mostly fiction.

Britain's easternmost town has some historic buildings and a wonderful beach, but was perhaps not the most uplifting of destinations for an Easter day trip. Lowestoft these days is quite run-down, with signs of deprivation all too evident despite major efforts at regeneration. However, while wandering around, we chanced upon this shop, which from the outside looked like it might be quite well stocked, with some interesting books visible. It is the town's only second-hand bookshop and is centrally located. Certainly worth a look if visiting.  Booker T 01.04.24

Olland Bookshop/BUNGAY/22 Upper Olland Street
Olland Bookshop  Open at advertised times
22 Upper Olland Street   BUNGAY   NR35 1BH
map
tel: 01986 894026  e-mail 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 3.00.
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Secondhand books on all subjects plus new books, especially children's books. Formerly Bardsley's Books, now re-opened under new management and with different stock.

Something of a curate's egg; a s/h bookshop that relies on donations, so rarely buys in stock. Prices are a tad high and quality/condition average at best.  Chris M 10.09.14
A very wide selection of stock including a large local interest section.  JM 18.12.15
Stock was overwhelming: in categories but double-banked, plus piles and boxes of other stock waist-high in front. Bizarrely, titles of the books we bought were carefully noted but there's no way the whole stock could have been catalogued so why?  Grumpy 14.05.19
Not much has changed since the last comment in 2019. There are many inaccessible shelves due to towering mountains of boxes stacked in front. Books are categorised though and we did locate a couple of items. Price and condition variable. Probably worth a look if you are nearby but not worth a special journey.  David 29.09.23
An advanced case of Camilla's Disease, recalling the nightmarish shop of that name in Eastbourne. Books are lying about in heaps all over the shop, stacked so high in some places as to barricade off certain sections. Fiction is accessible but the books are not arranged alphabetically by author. What is the point of running a shop on this basis? Avoid.   Laurence Purcell 08.06.24

Open Road Bookshop /STOKE BY NAYLAND/Park Street  
The Open Road Bookshop   Open at advertised times
Park Street    STOKE BY NAYLAND  CO6 4SE
map
tel:  07964 880407  e-mail
Open: Thursday - Saturday 11.00 - 4.00.
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A small secondhand bookshop specialising in poetry and literature in the heart of Constable country. There are also shelves on nature, travel, music, art and sport as well as biography and some miscellaneous non-fiction.

Very friendly and welcoming. Not very big, but interesting stock.  Peter 23.05.13
Popped into this lovely little shop for first time today. David the owner is a genial host, the stock varied and reasonably priced. He plays vinyl too!  Carl 25.01.14

Oxfam Books and Music/BURYSTEDMUNDS/2 Brentgovel Street
Oxfam Books and Music    Open at advertised times
2 Brentgovel Street    BURY ST EDMUNDS  IP33 1EA
map
tel:  01284 760666  e-mail   web  
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 11.00 - 3.00
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Quite small but not a bad stock of modern fiction. Some 'collectables' and occasional bargains. Inevitably DVD and CD's feature with their having a good stock of Naxos classical CD's. Many other charity shops in the town but none of any great interest.  Jon Morgan 23.01.16
Small outlet but good range, particularly travel and maps. Inevitable questionably 'collectable' shelves (who decides these things?) Prices reasonable by Oxfam standards.  Steven Kelly 06.05.16
Dismal stock with virtually nothing of interest.  Mandalay Bookshop 19.04.18
I agree with Mandalay Bookshop (above comment). Very disappointed. Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback.   Jayne  21.06.22
A normal sized Oxfam bookshop but with very little out of the ordinary. Paperback fiction, travel guidebooks, old books from house clearances but little of great interest. Bury St Edmunds is simply a void as far as the bibliophile is concerned.  PeterD 16.09.22

Oxfam Books/WOODBRIDGE/35 The Thoroughfare
Oxfam Books   Phone before travelling
35 The Thoroughfare    WOODBRIDGE  IP12 1AH
map
tel:  01394 382265  e-mail   web
Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 11.00 - 3.00
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A good selection of books, some of high quality, as you might expect in such a relatively affluent area. I made three or four trips there last week.  Michael Ross 24.08.11
No better than the Bury St Edmunds store. Very disappointed. My husband did manage to find a couple of books worth buying. Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback.   Jayne  21.06.22
Well I realise I approach Oxfam bookshops with pre-adjusted expectations, but this was quite a bit better than I expected. Three books of interest, all old illustrated books on London or Britain: one I had but would have paid the £10 asking price if not, one rare but a shade more than I'd pay, though others may be happy to. The last I was happy to pay the asked fiver for. For one who visits much and buys rarely, this was a result. Other subjects seemed to be well catered for. No doubt a couple of large good-quality donations have raised this above the level of most donated stock.  Adrian 17.02.24

Oxfam Bookshop/IPSWICH/53 Buttermarket
Oxfam Bookshop  Phone before travelling
53 Buttermarket   IPSWICH   IP1 1BJ
map
tel: 01473 217720 
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Somewhat spartan Oxfam outlet, with CDs, DVDs and paperback fiction dominating the front of the shop and a smaller section at the back containing all else. Prices reasonable for Oxfam but they need more stock!  Steven Kelly 10.06.16
Typical smaller Oxfam outlet. Prices vary but on the reasonable side. My main interest is Transport related subjects and I was lucky as I found a couple even though the selection was quite small. Worth calling in if in the area.  Steve Newman 10.11.21

Reed Books 2/ALDEBURGH/115 High Street
Reed Books 2  Phone before travelling
115 High Street   ALDEBURGH   IP15 5AN
map
tel: 01728 454 688 
Open:  7 days 10.30 - 4.30.
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A wide range of general secondhand stock.

Second shop now open, close to original (but bigger.) Minus point; difficult to find open, opening times not displayed in either shop despite requests. Certainly not open seven days!  Glen Simpson 12.09.09
This appears to have taken over Reed Books of 115 high Street. Basic and very expensive prices. NWAD.  Norman Davies 16.07.10
Well worth a look and some interesting items to be found. Also some CD's.  Herne 26.03.13
This shop has moved again, it is now at 157 High Street. My impression was that these are smaller premises, but difficult to tell as, although open, they were still really moving in my visit 16/11/13.  Glen Simpson 21.11.13
Have visited Aldeburgh once more to find that this shop has moved yet again - to 115 High Street, its original home! I'm told this will be its permanent home.  Glen Simpson 02.01.14
Back again after a couple of years and this shop is in a new location nearby but still WWAD. Lots of transport and Folio books.  Herne 01.10.15
Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback. Bargains outside in boxes and mid to pricey inside. Husband bought a couple of books but nothing for me.   Jayne  21.06.22
In fact the shop is called Reed Books 4. Smaller than I expected and the extensive fiction section is (groan) nearly all paperbacks. Lots of Folios so someone must be buying these secondhand. Worth inspecting if you are in these parts but in my view NWAD if you live further away.  Laurence Purcell 03.10.22
Small shop but maximum use made of the space available. Picked up a couple of books from the cheap ones outside and found a few worth buying inside. Prices varied. Plenty of tourists coming in to buy whilst we were there. Definitely worth checking out if in the area but not worth making a special journey.  David 29.09.23

Treasure Chest Books/FELIXSTOWE/61 Cobbold Road
Treasure Chest Books     Open at advertised times
61 Cobbold Road    FELIXSTOWE  IP11 7BH
map
tel:  01394 270717  e-mail   web
Open: Summer, Monday - Friday 10.00 - 4.00, Saturday 9.30 - 4.30. Winter, Thursday to Saturday 10.00 - 4.00
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East Anglia's Largest bookshop with something for everyone - over 60,000 books including the UK's largest stock of Transport/Shipping/Aviation Books (20,000+). Also Military, History, Art, East Anglian, Maps, Industrial History and a large stock of cheap Fiction/Classics/Childrens/Sci-Fi/Crime etc. Quality books always wanted.

Huge stock all on one level, well organised and labelled, clean and fairly (but not cheaply) priced. Wide range of subjects. WAD. Located slap bang in the centre of town facing the triangular town square, and just across the road from a car park.  Roger Pearse 27.06.08
This is one of the best secondhand bookshops I have been to. Well organised & labelled & the shop seems to stretch back for miles! A lot of books, especially the collectable ones, have dustwrapper protection & new stock appears constantly. Have to disagree with Roger Pearse regarding prices - I think they are very reasonable.  Bee Clarke 29.07.09
Quantity does not necessarily equal quality. Although this shop has a huge number of books on shelves which go deep into the back of the premises, the quality stock is to be found on the front shelves. Local titles are good but the majority of the rest is really just for the reader.  Chris Harte 24.02.10
This has the most extensive collection of railway books at very reasonable prices I have seen for years. Genuinely WAD for other subjects too; the quality is in the specialist subjects as well as older books in the front.  Norman Davies 16.07.10
A bit like Aladdin's cave, there is a lot more in this bookshop than might seem to be the case at first sight: room after room with books on most subjects, most of which are reasonably priced. Together with Poor Richard's, this makes Felixstowe a must for any secondhand book lover.  Geoffrey Warner 15.12.11
As with its counterpart in Colchester, this is an extremely well-run and rewarding book shop. The stock is comprehensive and sensibly priced and the assistants were extremely helpful. There was a half-price sale on the day that we were there and we picked up a significant amount of good stuff. Highly recommended.  Nicholas Pendower 06.03.13
Very well organised shop - remarkable transport collection. As for Castle bookshop Colchester a very good sale on at present.  The Herne 26.03.13
The second of the two superb second hand bookshops in this provincial seaside town with a pethora of charity shops and one good charity bookshop. This place is truly tardis like and just kept going further and further back . I looked round outside and could not work out how it was done! There is a lot of transport specialism at the front of the shop which all looks good quality and reflects the new management interests. If that is not your thing, do not despair as there are extensive quality comprehensive sections on almost everything as you penetrate deeper, Rates the accolade WWAD as does Poor Richards, further towards the beach.  Jon Morgan 13.08.14
Rounding off a most enjoyable visit to Felixstowe, this shop is unmissable. Transport selection alone worth the visit. But much to see in almost every section. Poetry especially well catered for and prices sensible.  Herne 26.04.18
Revisited after some years. Superb. Amazing transport at sensible prices and a plethora of decent titles on other subjects in the Tardis like interior. Worth quite a substantial detour on my part.  Norman Davies 15.08.19
I echo the last two comments. A huge amount of quality stock, nearly all in excellent condition too, with prices to match. I suspect if you are searching for any book on Rail, Road or Aviation you will have a 80% chance of finding it here. I spent so long looking round I did not have time to visit the other two bookshops in the town.   Steve Newman 10.11.21
My only complaint about this remarkable shop is that paperbacks and hardbacks are shelved together in the otherwise admirable fiction sections. Not everyone minds that but I do. Overall this is one of the best shops in the country. With all due respect to our busiest port, it's a shame that it's in such an out of the way town, perched on the very edge of England.  Laurence Purcell 18.11.21
This really just echoes what others have said. A shop that just seems to go back and back, with room after room. They didn't have the one transport book I wanted in their huge stock, but I bought a number of London books that I'm very happy with. Glad to see the shop was busy (but it was on a Saturday).

There were quite a lot of books on the floor, but I understand they were in the process of restocking, and it didn't really prevent access. They are due to get some large collections and they have regular sales of unsold books, pointing to a healthy turnover of stock. Long may it continue.
  Adrian 03.02.22
Excellent bookshop. Fiction and nonfiction. Hardback and paperback. Bargains outside in boxes and mid to pricey inside. Friendly welcome and very helpful owner / staff member. Give yourself plenty of time to look around. I got myself a rare book at a very good price.   Jayne  21.06.22
I could not let my, long overdue, visit to Treasure Chest Books in Felixstowe yesterday, pass, without a mention.

I remembered it as being cavernous and 'tardis'-like (Seriously - A woman was near the cash desk shouting for her daughter - There is no way on earth she would have been heard at the back of the shop.) but it seemed more so.

Helen Bott, the very friendly and extremely helpful owner, told me of an episode when her son was young and at work with her, when they closed the shop, locked up and popped-out for fish and chips. On their return, happily munching at the counter, a woman came from the depths of the shop to pay for her purchases, utterly unaware that she had been locked in...) but it seemed even bigger and packed with books. Every corner, nook and cranny, leads off somewhere else and not necessarily back to the beginning. Recent acquisitions are still in bags awaiting shelving - there are notes inviting you to rummage - I did!!

This shop, for me bucked the trend of many secondhand bookshops these days where half empty shelves and much depleted stock is, or appears to be the norm - in London anyway. I have no doubts that this is due to the hard work of both Martin and Helen Bott, in chasing down new stock, whether it be in the specialist areas of transport - railways (My late father would have been in seventh heaven), local topography, military etc or in the wider areas of modern fiction, crime and biography. They are frequently reviewers on here, when picking up new stock from sometimes far away places - This shop has it all in spades!

I came away with a decent sized carrier bag, with handles re-inforced so it didn't break before I got back to the car, stuffed full of books for a very reasonable price.

I was in the shop for so long that I had to leave my first pile with Helen at the desk and go and move the car as the parking time had elapsed. - There is a public car park nearby but free parking is also possible on nearby roads.

Despite the current cost of petrol and distance travelled - 70 odd miles - I will be a more regular visitor here as it is the kind of shop you might have though had gone for ever.

Long may it survive with its great customer service ethos, brilliant stock and really nice other customers. The phone hardly stopped with people seeking books to buy or collections to sell and I somehow felt right at home..... the sign of a well-run and welcoming establishment A sunny day, nice people, excellent books and as a bonus, Boris resigned!

Get yourself down to Felixstowe, sod the journey, put a good long spell on the parking, take a big bag - you will need it.
  Firedrake 08.07.22
A wonderful bookshop with helpful and knowledgeable staff. It must be one of the largest second hand bookshops in the UK and certainly the best. The prices are very reasonable and I always come away with at least one purchase.   Egduf  18.05.24
A brilliant bookshop with very good prices. It has something for everyone particularly all types of transport and military. It has a very good section on the Royal Navy from Tudor times to the Cold War and present day. The revolutionary wars and Napoleonic wars are particularly well covered. Over the years I have purchased books on Cochrane, Pellew and Saumarez here plus British Destroyer Development by Parkes, together with the standard work on British minelaying operations through the two world wars to 1960’s. So whether a general reader or after more specialist publications there really is something for everyone. I shall be back for more books as soon as I can.   Tricky 18.05.24

Yoxford Antiques Centre/YOXFORD/Askers Hill
Yoxford Antiques Centre  Open at advertised times
Askers Hill   YOXFORD   IP17 3JW
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tel: 01728 66 88 44  e-mail  web 
Open:  Monday & Wednesday - Saturday 10.00 -5.00, Sunday 10.00 - 4.00.
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A book section with collectable and general secondhand books, offered by a number of dealers, including Claude Cox.