The Burnham v. Rotheram DJ battle, behind the scenes at Alphaville and the joy of the campus novel

Sophie returns to your inbox in another soaring editor's edition, if she says so herself

Dear Millers — Sophie here, (over)excited to be back in your inboxes with another editor’s edition. This time, I’ve chatted to the couple behind Alphaville, Withington’s newest record/bookshop, about their idea behind it; published the texts I got from Jack on Friday night; and cornered you at the party that is this newsletter to monologue about books (I’m so sorry).

🎄 Big thanks to those of you who bought gift subscriptions for friends yesterday after reading about our book offer in the Monday briefing. If you missed that, here’s the deal: When you buy a gift sub (£70), your friend will get a year of high-quality journalism and you will get something too: a copy of the brand new North Country: An anthology of landscape and nature in time for Christmas (postal strikes allowing), along with a Christmas card from the team.

• The book features Dani’s Mill long read about Borsdane Wood, alongside lots of great northern writers from the past and present.

• Please get your gift subs purchases i…