Obiter found unexpected sanctuary the other day on a rain-swept Saturday afternoon in central Manchester: House of Books & Friends, a new independent bookshop, cafe and events space. Two things make it special. 

House of Books & Friends 3

Source: Gunnercooke

One is its location: the historic Manchester Club building on King Street, once the Reform Club, whose members included David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill.

The second is that House of Books & Friends is the brainchild of Darryl Cooke, founder of Manchester-headquartered international law firm gunnercooke.

Cooke came up with the idea during lockdown when he saw how many people were socially isolated. ‘It’s well documented that loneliness is a pernicious issue in society,’ he said. We can recommend both the coffee and the selection of books.

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