Cheapest and most convenient way to get Chinese Visa

My experience is a couple of years old (as indicated by the same-day service no longer being available). The consulate was in rusholme, - and that's still the address on the official webpage:

http://manchester.chineseconsulate.org/eng/zlsg/zlgxx/t142849.htm

I know Manchester reasonably well, and can't remember seeing a visa office on moseley st. There's a Bank of China branch there. Perhaps someone else who has been through the process can act as a tie breaker?