I had major beef with Aleef (hey, I'm a poet and I don't knoet!) when I was fifteen years old, I was always the designated cigarette buyer in my clique back in the rebellious days of youth simply because I was the tallest, and I always used to get really irritated with newsagents when they ID'd me. Uh, newsflash, my Daria-esque snarky teenage self used to say. There is no ID that proves you're sixteen. Only that which proves you're eighteen. Actually, now I type that I realise that passports can prove this and always have. Well, I never thought of that at the time, it made me very angry. I was such a self-righteous little whinger. Moving on, now with hindsight this proves that the Aleef franchise is rather discerning and ensures it does what it is supposed to do, which is checking young scallywags are old enough to engage in self-abuse. As I'm older and wiser I realise they were doing their job, and now, having used their kiosks many a time, I have to say they're a great little brand (despite certain bosses being investigated for certain tax frauds... http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1024144_aleef_bosses_jailed_for_fraud - still, you've got to admire that thinking) and their Printworks outlet is a work of genius. A newsagent a work of genius? What on earth are you talking about, I hear you ask. Well, it's the fact that there's a cinema round the corner. Pay extortionate prices for your beverages there? I think not. Grab 'em to go at Aleef, some sugar free fizzy Vimto perhaps and stash it in your bag. Heck, even get the sweets there, they often have £1 offers on big bags of goodies. You've saved a fiver before you know it. It's open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays so you can imagine that Opus (ARGH!!! http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/opus-manchester-2#hrid:IbKBK3KYd86ORI3E2S9-rg) revellers grab a few snacks to go here after forcefeeding themselves R n' B and overpriced beverages. There's plenty a bar in the Printworks area so Aleef are certainly catering to their audience. Who hasn't craved a bag of crisps or a soda after a few too many wines? Aleefs are located conveniently pretty much everywhere in the city, but you're certainly likely to make a lot of savvy use out of this one. I'd recommend it on location alone. read more