Things to do in Tameside for Readers

Who doesn’t love a good book?

Well as it turns out quite a lot of people, sadly. As a result of the rise of digital media and content book sales and the general number of people reading on a regular basis have been on a steady decline in the past few years.

That isn’t to say that there isn’t still plenty of things to do in Tameside for readers!

Thankfully, our borough is still full of readers and book lovers who continue to make trips to their local book shops and get involved in local readers groups and events. Somebody’s got to keep the reading tradition alive.

So, whether you’re a regular reader, love to talk about books or are looking to get stuck into a good book more regularly, here are a few suggestions of things to do in Tameside for readers:

The Works

Let’s start off with an obvious point…

Anybody who has ever bought a book on the high street will undoubtedly have visited the bookstore-superpowers that are Waterstones and WH Smith. Both of which have various locations in and around Tameside.

Along with some supermarkets, these two are the best places to pick up new releases and popular picks from your favourite authors.

But what about those of us looking to find a bargain and who don’t want to spend a fortune on finding recent, decent-condition books?

The Works is the book shop for you!

You’ll find a great selection of paperbacks (and sometimes hardbacks) in a wide variety of genres at some ridiculous prices! The ideal shop for someone looking to grab a quick read and head on home!

Fiction, Non-fiction, Romance, Crime, Thriller, they’re all here. And, with offers like ‘3 books for £5’ cropping up on occasion, there really is no excuse even for the light reader not to pop into The Works the next time they’re near one of their locations.

Plus, for the ‘Artsy’ ones out there, The Works also has a top-notch selection of arts and crafts supplies to keep you occupied with your next project. There’s also numerous books on the topic to help you along, too.

In terms of in and around Tameside, you’ll find The Works stores in Ashton, Oldham, Denton and Openshaw.

Be sure to pop in the next time you pass one!

Book Clubs in Tameside

While reading can be one of the most enriching and enjoyable pastimes, given that the nature of reading virtually forces us to read books alone in pure silence, it should come as no surprise that sometimes reading can become a lonely affair.

Plus, when we enjoy a book so much, or have the exact opposite experience and hate every single page with a passion, we want to talk about it!

That’s why, for readers, book clubs (sometimes called ‘Reading Groups’ or ‘Reading Clubs’) can be much fun!

Discuss, debate and chit-chat all-things books with like-minded book lovers at your local book club. These meets are usually laid back, friendly and ultimately welcoming to anyone looking to share or explore their love of literature.

Need that extra bit of inspiration to pick up your next page-turner? Many book clubs set weekly reading goals, so that everybody in the group is up-to-date with the chosen book, making it much easier to discuss at length amongst the group.

It’s a great way to meet new people and make new friends in a new environment.

And these new environments can be anywhere! From a funky new café to your local pub (a bit unorthdaox but it does happen!) there’s no telling where a good book club will take you.

Looking for book clubs in Tameside near you? Check out the links below for some book clubs hosted in a local library near you!

https://www.tameside.gov.uk/libraries/readersgroup

https://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200274/arts_and_culture/744/writing_and_reading_groups/2

Or if you’d like to look a little further afield, websites like https://www.meetup.com/ are perfect for finding social events like book clubs near you.

Now, speaking of libraries…

Libraries in Tameside

Back in the day if you were looking for the answer for a specific question, or you have some serious research to do, you wouldn’t head straight to Google. No, you’d head to your trusty local library!

These places have been fountains of knowledge for as long as they’ve been around. As we discussed earlier, the rise of modern technology may have dampened our relationship with the humble library but that doesn’t mean they’re any less helpful today than they were decades ago.

In fact, for many readers, they remain the ultimate paradise; A place to go to find solitude and endless hours of entertainment and information.

And there’s even a select group of avid readers that are keen to hunt down the largest, most impressive and most visually stunning libraries in the world! Or in their own country at least.

The Library of Birmingham and Chetham’s Library in Manchester are stand-outs . But when it comes to libraries in Tameside, there’s also a selection of great libraries to visit in our borough, too.

Dukinfield, Stalybridge, Ashton and more all have their own dedicated libraries ready and waiting to welcome those looking for something specific, those just in need of a good read or those looking to sign up to upcoming library events and meet-ups!

For more information about libraries in Tameside near you, check out this link:

https://www.tameside.gov.uk/Libraries

Market Stalls & Charity Shops in Tameside

Back to business for the bargain hunters now…

If you’re on the look-out for a book bargain near you, you can’t go wrong with visiting your local markets and/or charity shops in Tameside.

Why? Because nine times out of ten when somebody buys a brand new copy of the latest best-seller and finishes it quickly they do one of two things:

• If they enjoyed it, keep it to read it again someday in the future. Or…
• They donate it to their local book market stall or charity shop

These stalls and charity shops will then, most likely, sell the virtually brand new book for a fraction of its full-price value.

Why pay twenty pounds when you could get the same book for as low as quid a week later? Yes, those kinds of bargains happen all the time!

Veteran book hunters are fully familiar with this old trick. Hopefully you’ll be able to put it to good use the next time you’re examining your local market’s or charity shop’s literary collection for sale.

We’ve got countless market stalls and charity shops in Tameside scattered throughout the borough, so maybe it’s time you got to some book hunting!

But what about you? Are you a keen reader? What are your favourite book-related things to do in Tameside? Do you have any book-hacks that people need to know about? Let us know in the comment section below!