BOOKMAN BEATTIE FINDS HIS LOCAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOP



A hundred meters or so from Simon's flat where I am living this week I found a small but perfectly formed independent bookshop.

Metropolitan Books,
49 Exmouth Market,
Clerkenwell, London EC1R 4QL
Tel.020 7278 6900
http://www.metropolitan.co.uk/

Owner Phil Griffiths set up nine years ago and obviously has a strong local clientele in this non-tourist part of town. There is a wonderful selection here, particularly fiction and children's along with a good cross section of non-fiction especially in the area of London, history and politics.

If you find yourself in Clerkenwell I can warmly recommend this little literary oasis.
By the way Phil reckons Mister Pip or The Reluctant Fundmentalist to win the Man Booker!