A POPULAR antique bookshop is expanding in Whitehaven.

Antiquarian bookseller Michael Moon has been finding new homes for old books since 1970.

And now his Lowther Street shop will be complemented by a second outlet on Queen Street, formerly occupied by Kershaw’s Health Foods.

“This is a bit more ground floor space for us. It is going to be a different selection of books, maps and prints,” said Peter Moon, Michael’s son, who will be running the new shop.

The layout will allow the Moons to display hundreds of prints they have never been able to show before.

Peter said: “We primarily opened because we were running out of space downstairs in the other shop, this is a big shop window for us really.

“There are plenty of empty shops in town so hopefully this will be one less.”

He added: “We’re not closing the other one, we’re just expanding. It was always a possibility just because of the shape of the other shop. It is deceptively large inside but I think a lot of people see the ground floor and think that is it.”

The new bookshop will initially be open between 11am and 5pm.