National Storytelling Week runs from 30th January to 5th February, and encourages us all to celebrate the art of storytelling in all its forms. To help you mark the occasion, we’ve rounded up a whole host of places in Newcastle perfect for getting you into the spirit of storytelling – from bookshops and libraries, to cosy spots perfect for curling up with a new story.
Where to Read Books
Newcastle City Library, New Bridge Street West
Where better to start your journey into storytelling than the city’s wonderful library! With six whole floors of book-filled goodness, the City Library is a haven for book lovers. Bursting at the seams with non-fiction on all kinds of topics and delightful stories across all manner of genres and much more besides, you’ll be completely spoiled for choice! As well as being a great place to curl up with a good book (or borrow one, of course), you can use public computers and scanners, enjoy free WiFi, rent DVDs and music, print and photocopy and even enjoy a cuppa in the cafe.
The Lit & Phil, Westgate Road
Hidden within the grand but rather unassuming building near Central Station, The Lit & Phil is a historic independent library which has been home to some of the greatest thinkers of our time - Oscar Wilde and George Stephenson included. Opened in 1825, it’s home to a mind-boggling 200,000 books - from 16th Century masterpieces to modern works of literature - and it boasts a large music library too. The library is free and open to all, but members can enjoy extra special perks including priority booking for the many events they run, as well as meeting room hire and more.
Seven Stories, Lime Street
The National Centre for Children’s Books is the place to come to get young minds into reading! The free entry venue features seven floors (see what they did there?) bursting with exciting and riveting tales for young people, from babies to teens. It’s also the home of several important collections, including work by celebrated children’s authors David Almond, Michael Morpurgo, Diana Wynn Jones and Enid Blyton, while changing exhibitions focus on established and up and coming authors and stories.
Curl up with a cuppa
If you’re looking for somewhere to hole up away from the hustle and bustle of the city, there are a multitude of great coffee shops and cafes just perfect for idling an afternoon away with a good book. Flat Caps Coffee on Carliol Square is a plant-filled haven replete with squashy sofas and comfy tables, perfect for enjoying their superior blends.
On Market Street near Monument, Camber Coffee has burst out of its upstairs location to cover two floors, and offers up a great city centre spot to people watch, read a book and enjoy veggie and vegan food. Nearby Flore, also on Market Street, is a picture-perfect location for delicious cakes, a profusion of egg-based delights and a bit of you time!
Where to Buy Books
Blackwell’s, Percy Street
Ably serving the city’s University students, and stocking a great range of textbooks and study guides, Blackwell’s also makes a great pitstop for all kinds of fiction too. While it may be a great place to pick up academic books, you’ll also find games and an art shop, plus trendy best-sellers and categories covering everything from politics to philosophy.
Bang On Books, Forth Goods Yard
This brilliant online company makes personalised children’s books where your little one can be the star! A real labour of love, Bang On Books creates special stories for youngsters to help their imaginations come alive, immersing them in their own story where they can be the hero. Youngsters of all ages are catered for, and you can add photos and personalised dedications.
Books for Amnesty, Westgate Road
This fantastic charity bookshop stocks all kinds of new and second-hand delights, and is a much-loved pitstop for Newcastle’s bookworms. You’ll find all kinds of fiction and non-fiction on their shelves, and they have a particularly good politics and history section, as well as contemporary fiction and much more.
Waterstones, Blackett Street
Surely one of the most beautiful bookshops in Waterstones’ chain, the Emmerson Chambers location features four floors of book-filled loveliness. Whether you’re looking for the latest thriller, a romantic tearjerker, chills and spills or imaginative tales for children and young adults, there’s all this and much more. Their travel writing and guide book section is particularly inspirational, there are some great foodie musings, plus sections on history, art, business, religion, health, nature, gardening and much (much!) more!
Newcastle Book Exchange, Grainger Market
This wonderful family-run shop in the city’s iconic Grainger Market is a great place to pick up a bargain. Shelves of second-hand fiction will keep you browsing for ages, particularly if you’re a fan of thrillers, romance novels and fun contemporary fiction. Plus, they offer store credit if you donate your books, and if you read and return any book from the shop you get 50% off your next purchase!
And that’s not all! If you’re a graphic novel devourer, looking for the next big thing in cult fiction, starting your collection or just looking for a way to pass some time by escaping to another world, Newcastle has a wealth of book shops just perfect for you. Discover even more in our Book Lover’s Guide to Newcastle. Happy reading!
