I started e-mailing contacts in the search for a location. I sent this e-mail to the Lionel Dobie Gallery in Manchester, and to a contact from the Empty Shop Network website:

Hi,
I'm part of a group of 2nd year Fine Art students from MMU, and we were wondering whether you could help us out. We are thinking about locations for our end of year show and are interested in using an empty shop space. We got your e-mail address from the Empty Shop Network website, and we saw that you have previously done some work in the North putting on projects.

Could you possibly point us in the right direction? We are looking for someone to help us find an empty space to put on our show in April/May.

Thanks,
Hattie Coombe