Liverpool & Manchester (UK) film & darkroom supplies

[siracusa]

I wonder if anyone can help me with a query 🙂

After having spent most of the past twelve months in foreign parts, I'm shortly going to be back in UK (Liverpool) for good (or at least for the foreseeable future, apart from regular weekend and vacation trips back to France to see the better half...)

I'm returning with a new resolution: as far as possible I want to support local jobs by buying locally rather than on the internet. Besides, when was the last time I exchanged a smile or a joke with an online order form...? So, I need a local alternative to online film ordering.

I wondered if any RFF members can share info or recommendations on the availability of film (other than Boots the Chemist), developer and fixer in Liverpool, or failling that in Manchester.

I suspect developer and fixer are unavailable in Liverpool these days, though when I first came from a job in London to a job in Liverpool around seven years ago, if I needed film, developer or fixer it was a five minute walk to Jacobs in the City Centre or a short drive to Calumet. Now all these places are long gone, and the two Jessops branches that stocked film are also closed. There is now a Wilkinson camera shop in Liverpool though I'm told by a friend that it is digitally focused and that I won't even find films there.

If nobody has any info on film and darkroom supplies in Liverpool, does anybody have any Manchester based recommendations? It's further away than would be ideal, but better than nothing.

I'm not going to specify what films, developer or fixer I want: in these times when it is increasingly difficult to find local suppliers for film related goods, I will just adapt and make do and use whatever is available locally/semi-locally. I would prefer to buy from independent, locally owned businesses if possible, but I recognise that even buying from chain stores helps support local jobs, so any and all recommendations will be most gratefully received 🙂 (I'm desperately hoping here that I won't have to either resort to developing films in caffeine or go back to internet ordering 🙂 )

Thanks in advance!
PS Mods - apologies if I have posted this in the wrong part of the forum - feel free to move it if necessary 🙂

 

[Michael Markey]

I`m in Blackpool ... as you can see.
I get my films from either AG or Mathers of Bolton.

Chemicals are harder to locate .
My local supplier in Lancaster has stopped trading so I bought the last lot of fixer from AG.

Trouble is the postage costs more than the product .
Apparently Royal Mail will not handle chemicals so its down to the independents to do so.

Its become an expensive proposition I`m afraid.

 

[siracusa]

Thanks, Michael, much appreciated 🙂
The times are a changing. I remember visiting Liverpool in the early 2000s before I moved there and even finding a local place in the city centre that offered a huge range of films and even did one hour E6 processing (for a price). Those days are long gone, not just for this city but for all...
I will try Mathers: thanks for the recommendation. Probably closer than Manchester too.
I may have to resort to calling Manchester Calumet to see if they do developer these days. When the Lpool branch closed down I cleaned them out of TMAX developer when they had their closing down sale. Oh those were the days...

 

[Michael Markey]

Ah ...yes .
I`ve heard that the Manchester Calumet do developer but I`ve yet to check them out.

It will be handy if they do `cause I could combine it with our meets.

 

[siracusa]

Funny you should mention meets. I suppose this is a thing for another thread, but I have noticed from the forum posts that there are a lot of north west based RFFers, and I was thinking "oh this could be fun"...
I'll call Calumet Manchester to ask about developer and will post their response here.

 

[siracusa]

Just spoken to Calumet Manchester: they do developers, and mentioned D76 and TMAX though they said they have a good range of others. Apparently they no longer do Rodinal.
So this is good news.
Any other suggestions/recommendations from RFFers about film and developers in the Liverpool and Manchester areas gratefully received.

 

[Michael Markey]

Oh ... thanks for that .

 

[john neal]

Gents,

I have used Calumet in Manchester once or twice, but they are top price on most things. Since Jessops went in Liverpool, I don't know of a local supplier of chemistry (I'm on Wirral) and have resorted to buying on line sadly.

Not sure if Jem keeps chemicals at the Real Camera Company in Manchester - might be worth giving him a call. I know he has OOD film, but normally not much else (other than lots of nice cameras, lenses, enlargers, etc, etc) but he might know of some local sources.

 

[siracusa]

Thanks for this, John. Maybe if there is enough local/regional demand expressed it might be something Real Camera Company would consider (though I guess storage and expiry dates may be an issue).
I did ask Newton Ellis if they knew of any Liverpool suppliers, but they drew a blank on developers and suggested that Moorfields film processing might be able to order film in on request.

 

[Michael Markey]

Fairly sure that Jem doesn`t carry chemicals.
Everything else but not chemicals 🙂

 

[john neal]

Michael,

You are probably right. I wonder if Bob France knows of any local sources? He's not that far away - maybe I will ask him

 

[Michael Markey]

John.

I was hoping that either Bob or Stewart would chip in.
I`ll call them on the other phone 🙂

Michael

 

[chrishayton]

Thanks for this, John. Maybe if there is enough local/regional demand expressed it might be something Real Camera Company would consider (though I guess storage and expiry dates may be an issue).
I did ask Newton Ellis if they knew of any Liverpool suppliers, but they drew a blank on developers and suggested that Moorfields film processing might be able to order film in on request.

Hi. I know that a shop in the same building as The Real Camera Co, 'Fred Aldous Art and Craft Shop' stocks Ilford Developing chemicals and therefore saves Real Camera Stocking them.

Worth a Visit to both!

 

[Michael Markey]

That`s great Chris ...thanks for that.

 

[siracusa]

Thanks, Chris - that's excellent. I can sense I will be getting familiar with the M62, or better still, the gloriously named "East Lancs" road...
With all the artists and creative types in Liverpool, I'd still have imagined there would be sufficient demand for darkroom stuff at that end of the M62 to make it viable in business terms, even if on small scale in artists' materials suppliers such as Rennie's. I did get stopped by a worker in a bar in Liverpool once who ogled my M2, and on another occasion in the same bar by another staff member who said he used an M6 with a 21 Skopar. We spoke a bit and I thought it odd that he wasn't starting to develop his own bw. I guess the lack of local suppliers may also have an impact on this type of thing: ready supply doesn't just follow demand but also helps create it.

 

[siracusa]

Thanks, Ansel. It will be a lot more economical to order from Silverprint (or AG), but for me personally I want to support local jobs by reducing my reliance on internet ordering. And besides that, it is also good to know what is available locally in case something is ever needed urgently.

 

[Michael Markey]

Jessops is still there Antonio ...it was bought out a few years ago and reopened .
Don`t think that they do chems though.

 

[siracusa]

I suspect you're right, Michael. The other reopened Jessops I have been into (in Shrewsbury) stocked film but no darkroom kit, and darkroom supplies don't seem to show on the Jessops website.

 

[Michael Markey]

Yep film is still doing ok but I don`t think that has been matched by an increase in people doing home developing.

Thats why people like AG and Ilford developing services are backlogged at the moment trying to keep up with demand and why chemicals are harder to buy.

Its not every ones cup of tea ... indeed its not mine but we`ll keep that between you and me. 🙂

 

[siracusa]

Your post is very reassuring, Michael: I have a backlog of films to develop that is larger than I would like to admit 🙂 Phew - I thought it was only me who didn't find developing entirely their cup of tea 🙂