Well Bartered

The route up to Kelso conveniently passes through Alnwick, which cannot be done without a stop at Barter’s Books (the old Alnwick station that has become a mecca for lovers of second hand books) particularly now the ‘buffet’ is up and running serving excellent fare for lunch; following a successful trade-in on my last visit I today brought more old Penguin Classics and a select few modern first editions that together were valued at £90, boosting my “account” and encouraging me to splash out on ‘Writing Home’ (itself a first edition) by Alan Bennett who, as the sales assistant pointed out, is one of the literary giants featured on their fantasy mural.