Welcome
books on the walls: where stories, sounds and spirits intertwine in the heart of Chester.
Nestled within Chester's historic city walls, books on the walls is more than just a bookshop – we're a haven where stories come alive and individuals connect.
Our carefully curated space brings together a perfect blend of contemporary culture and timeless traditions.
Discover Your Perfect Reading Companion
Step into our welcoming space and explore our thoughtfully selected collection of books spanning every genre.
Whether you’re seeking your next literary adventure, diving into challenging histories or browsing for the perfect Chester gift, our friendly staff are here to guide you through our selection.
You’ll discover the unexpected as well as revel in familiar favourites.
We’re also always happy to source your own requests.
More Than books
Banish your phone and immerse yourself in our unique atmosphere where literature meets lifestyle:
Artisanal Coffee Bar: Start your day with lovingly nurtured and locally roasted coffee while enjoying your latest read
Craft Beer, Cider and Fine Martinis: Unwind with our handpicked selection of local beers, ciders and spirits
Vinyl & Music Collection: Spin some grooves from our record collection on our in-house turntable and peruse our treasury of new vinyl, cds and cassettes for sale
Daily Press: Stay informed with our wide range of local and national newspapers and periodicals
Art Space: Explore contemporary works by local artists, available to purchase
Board Game Library: Make a new connection over a game of Chester Monopoly
Salty and Sugary Snacks: Graze upon our small but perfectly formed range for our canine as well as human visitors
Our Local Suppliers Include:
Bread Together, Chester
Providence Gin, Chester
The Ice Cream Farm, Tattenhall
Orchards Farm, Tattenhall
Adams and Russell Coffee Roasters, Birkenhead
Hafod Brewing Company, Mold
Nicaragua, The Tierre Madre Women's Co-operative
From Bristol, Zuma
Costa Rica, San Jorge produced by Coopeagri Cooperative
Find Us in Historic Chester
Located at 2 City Walls, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2JG, we’re proud to be part of the fabric of this fantastic city.
Our incredible location on Chester’s famous walls makes us the perfect destination for both locals and visitors seeking a unique experience.
Whether you’re searching for your next favourite book, the perfect album or simply a peaceful spot to enjoy quality coffee and good company, books on the walls welcomes you.
Our friendly team is ready to help you discover something special and truly social.
Upcoming Events at books on the walls (June)
Poetry with Oliver James Lomax
Saturday 7 June 2025
2pm to 2.30pm
Free Entrance
Oliver James Lomax is a poet, educator, and trustee of the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. He passionately believes in cultural equality and the power of the arts to enable everyone in society to have a voice.
He has published 5 collections of poetry including ‘The Dandelion Clock’ (2020) and ‘Burial of the Cameo’ (2023) – ‘Dammed fine poems, full of emotional resonance and vivid imagery; the world made fresh to the eye and ear.’ – Ian Rankin
Oliver has written poetry for film and television and in 2019 released his first spoken word single described by Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music) as ‘An unholy hybrid of John Cooper Clarke and Mark E Smith.’ He released his debut album Working-Class Love Poem (Shadrack and Duxbury 2023) which he toured extensively across the UK. More recently Oliver was shortlisted for the Los Angles International Poetry Film Prize. His poems are now taught in schools and colleges.
‘Poems that dance with originality and are tenderly unafraid of love and belonging.’ – Mark Thomas
“Books + Poscas = Murals” with Nikki Pinder
Saturday 14 June 2025
2pm to 2.30pm
Free Entrance
Nikki Pinder is a mural artist and illustrator who creates vibrant nature inspired artworks, fun sticker characters, prints and Posca window drawings including for Brow HQ, Death By Tacos, Ropewalks hotel, Cow in Liverpool, and chalk board drawings for The Storyhouse and Theatre Porto. A career highlight creating illustrated canvases for Lush to be displayed alongside Peter Tatchell speaking in London for Pride.
You can find her paintings at Chester Zoo, Sandy Lane river steps, Caldy Valley bollards, BT cabinets, Shuttle bus SEND classroom, shutters in Ellesmere Port market, and at Good Catch in Crosby.
Her designs have featured on iPhone cases in Harvey Nichols stores, Ed Harcourt records, on River Island clothing, bags, Acupuncture high-top shoes and t-shirts in Japan, in Bido Lito publications, CALM, Qatar Airways, American Greetings, Singletrack, Tortoise and GQ magazines.
Games Night
Thursday 19th June 2025
6-7.30pm
You are invited to a new games night which will take place on the third Thursday of the month. Play one of the board and table-top games at books on the walls or turn up with a favourite from home.
Inspired by the Middle East, France and Italy, we will serve some Bread Together specials, hand-made slow fermented pizza slices with a variety of toppings. A glass of wine or non-alcoholic alternative will also be included in your ticket price.
There are 10 places available in the group.
Please book tickets with books on the walls, in person or via email hello@booksonthewalls.com
Tickets £5
Sunday tunes on the walls
World music showcase by Dave Sheekey from Circl8 Radio
Sunday 15 June 2025
3-4pm
Free Entrance
Dave will be playing a curated collection of CDs
Back Up North with Ally Shepherd
Saturday 21 June 2025
(Independent Bookshop Week)
2 to 2.30pm
free, drop-in
Ally Shepherd is a teacher, researcher, writer, and Cestrian.
After a decade overseas, Ally got stuck back in Chester during the pandemic.
She promptly became a born-again Northerner and, probably annoyingly, wanted to tell the world. Documenting her journey to understand herself through the region in which she grew up, she explores questions in her new nonfiction book BACK UP NORTH, such as: Is there still a North/South divide? Was she descended from a Pendle witch?
Why does Liverpool have a slavery museum? What’s with Scouse and Geordie accents? Where are Northern women’s stories in TV, film, and literature? And is it okay to eat chips, cheese and gravy? (Spoiler: The answer to the last question is ‘yes’). Drawing on history, politics, pop culture, and folklore – as well as family stories from Lancashire, and an education in Yorkshire – Back Up North explores the region’s diverse legacy of food, music, literature, dialect, social change and superstition.
For more on Ally's work, see: http://www.alisonvictoria.co.uk/writing
Women’s Book Swap Club
Thursday 26 June 2025
6.00-7.30pm
At Amblongus (venue to alternate between Amblongus and books on the walls each month)
You are invited to this new book swap club which will take place on the last Thursday of the month. Bring along a book to discuss and then swap with another participant.
Inspired by the Middle East, France and Italy, we will serve some Bread Together specials, hand made slow fermented pizza slices with a variety of toppings. A glass of wine or non-alcoholic alternative will also be included in your ticket price.
There are 10 places available in the group.
Please book tickets with either Amblongus or books on the walls, in person or via email hello@booksonthewalls.com or amblongusbooks@gmail.com.
SOLD OUT
WriteHereWriteNow will be reading from their debut anthology of short stories
Saturday 28 June 2025
2 – 2.30
free, drop-in
WriteHereWriteNow relaunched in January 2023. They are an adult community writing group for people passionate about writing, be it writing for pleasure, penning novels, poems or short stories.
From creative writing prompts to blogging workshops, they all work together to learn and motivate. The group meets once a month at Storyhouse. Writers of all abilities and levels of experience are always welcome to join.
The group proudly released their first anthology of short stories in April 2025, with a follow-up planned for later in 2025.
For more information please contact writeherewritenowgroup@yahoo.com
Upcoming Events at books on the walls (July)
Local Author Event with Rhian Waller
Saturday 5th July 2025
2pm - 2.30pm
Free Entrance
Author Event with Geoff Nelder
Saturday 12 July 2025
2-2.30pm
free entrance, drop-in
Geoff will be reading from his novella, SUPPOSE WE and from INCREMENTAL, a collection of short stories.
Geoff taught at Queen's Park High in Chester but now lives in Greater Manchester. SUPPOSE WE, his 8th book, is a surreal science fiction. The indie press publisher, LL-Publications commissioned Geoff to bring back the sense of wonder, exploration and adventure in sci fi.
He does this by crashlanding a spaceship on a faraway planet. They need help from the locals, but they are a million years ahead of Earth and ignore them. How do they survive and persuade the superior natives to help them?
SUPPOSE WE is as far as we know the only science fiction written by a long-time vegan with a vegan main character on a vegan planet, or at least one free from predators larger than insects!
INCREMENTAL: a small but regular increase in value or worth. It can be decremental too.
These short bursts of fiction are a smorgasbord of the surreal – science fiction, horror, weird or just humorous.
A pothole doubles in size daily. How long before it swallows the Earth, followed by this universe?
A sound is heard all over the world and it is getting louder.
Imagine waking up on the ceiling, or realising that you’re not an amnesiac, but a girl’s imaginary friend.
An asteroid is diverted from closing in on Earth, but it keeps coming back.
A grape-sized meteorite hits a London house at 3:15 every day.
“Some of these stories are more mental than incremental - all wonderful.” Limnisa Writers’ Retreat, Greece.
‘A feast of Kafka-esque incremental tales, to be ‘literally’ devoured one after the other…’ Mark Iles author of the Pride of Lions #1 best-selling sci fi book.
Pearl with Sian Hughes
Saturday 26 July 2025
2 to 2.30pm
free, drop-in
Women’s Book Swap Club
Thursday 31 July 2025
6-7.30pm
At books on the walls (venue to alternate between Amblongus and books on the walls)
You are invited to this new book swap club which will take place on the last Thursday of the month. Bring along a book to discuss and then swap with another participant.
Inspired by the Middle East, France and Italy, we will serve some Bread Together specials, hand made slow fermented pizza slices with a variety of toppings. A glass of wine or non-alcoholic alternative will also be included in your ticket price.
There are 10 places available in the group.
Please book tickets with either Amblongus or books on the walls, in person or via email hello@booksonthewalls.com or amblongusbooks@gmail.com
Tickets £5
Upcoming Events at books on the walls (September)
Author Event with Giada Nizzoli
Saturday 13 September, 2.00pm – 2.30pm
Free, drop-in
Giadia is an author, poet, marketing message mentor and strategist, born in the 90s with an inexplicable obsession for the 80s. She’s Italian but moved to the UK when she was nineteen, and after living in London and graduating in Creative & Media Writing in Portsmouth, she now considers Chester her adoptive hometown.
She self-published her first poetry book, Will-o’-the-Wisps, in 2020 and a magical realism short story collection, Set in Marble, in 2021.
In 2023, Querencia Press published her poetry pamphlet, Ghost Hometowns. Steeped in nostalgia and memorable imagery, it takes you from sunny but decadent Italian landscapes to the cold streets of London, full of unseizable possibilities. Ghost Hometowns explores the disorienting feeling of not knowing where you belong.
Written from a migrant's perspective, it's a doomed quest for a home in your birth country, abroad and even with family sharing opposite views. Let it guide you through your own, unescapable journey.
Upcoming Events at books on the walls (October)
Local Author Event
Louise Foster will be reading from her debut book The Last Little Pumpkin
11 October, 2.00 - 2.30pm
Having lived in Cumbria and now Chester, Louise has constantly been inspired by her surroundings.
Her first children's book, 'The Last Little Pumpkin', features the famous Shot Tower in Great Boughton.
With the help of her young daughter's imagination, she has brought to life a charming autumnal tale.
@L.FILLUSTRATION
Upcoming Events at books on the walls (November)
An Evening with Marc Burrows - The Story of the Christmas No.1, Mistletoe and Vinyl
Thursday 6 November 6 – 7.30pm
Join Marc for a launch party for his latest book, Mistletoe and Vinyl (published 2 October 2025). Marc will be delivering some specially written stand up on Christmas music along with a reading from his book, a chance for conversation and a book signing.
Mistletoe and Vinyl explores the peculiarly British cultural phenomenon of the Christmas singles chart. The festive top spot was something that, prior to 1973, wasn’t particularly important but has since become a cornerstone of the December news cycle and, for years, an annual cultural moment … that may have reached the end of its life.
Marc Burrows is an award-winning author, comedian and musician, currently residing in Bristol. His 2020 biography of Sir Terry Pratchett won the Locus Award and became the basis for a stand-up show that received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe. He plays bass in the cult punk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, writes regularly for The Independent, Big Issue, and The New Statesmen. He is generally quite tired.
His last book, NIRVANA: A detailed guide to the band that changed everythingwas published in November 2024.
Free, festive refreshments, 20 tickets available.
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