A fountain at the front and a row of vintage typewriters at the back make this bookshop-cum-cafe a temple of quirky charm and a hidden gem for those in want of comfortable chairs, or an impressive array of Margaret Atwood books. The bookshop atmosphere is very much respected, meaning noisy neighbouring tables are not an issue at Chapter 1.

The idea behind Ziferblat is simple: help yourself to as much tea and cake as you desire, and pay instead for the time you spend. Clocking in at 6p per minute, you’d think it wouldn’t be entirely ideal for long-haul working – but if you drink caffeine the way a chain smoker inhales cigarettes, it quickly becomes worth the money. The vibe is similar to your favourite grandma’s living room and Freelancer Friday’s are an actual event here.

It was a long time coming, but the revamp was worth the wait. Manchester Central Library is now an awe-inspiring cathedral to books, film and archive. As public places to work go, the circular reading room is just about unbeatable – particularly for its idiosyncratic echo. Put your phone on silent and enjoy people watching as much as the space itself.

If variety is the spice of life, the gothic architecture of John Rylands Library will not fail to pique your interest. Tourists wondering through with magnified mirrors may be a slight turn-off, but the anachronistic joy of working sockets in a 19th Century library, and a silence you won’t find in any coffee shop, makes this a great place to work.

Manchester’s leading cross-arts centre is not limited to culture buffs. The downstairs bar provides a light and airy work space, and boasts an impressive collection of ales and cocktails. It’s a happy glass-faced, all day alternative from the sometimes dingy Northern Quarter cafés.

On the corner of Hilton St and Newton St in the Northern Quarter, Ezra and Gil is a popular choice with the Creative Tourist team.  The coffee is excellent, as are the breakfast and lunch menus, but beware, the cakes and pastries are dangerously tempting.

Those who know, know. Common is one of the best workspaces in the Northern Quarter, with lightning-fast WiFi, plenty of plug sockets and a ton of other freelancers all doing the same thing, just itching to share tips and gripes.

It might be small but it’s perfectly formed. The Burgess cafe bar has just a handful of seats but it makes for a great place to knuckle down to whatever work you have lined up for the day. The piles of books add a sense of ‘serious creative at work’, which as any good freelancer knows, is what we tell ourselves.