Why Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival is a 'best seller'

Guest authors at the four-day event included former Prime Minister David Cameron, Shoestring actor Trevor Eve, BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin, business titan Sir Tim Waterstone and Countryfile favourite John Craven.

It opened last Thursday with a literary lunch featuring Falklands War veteran, Simon Weston CBE, and concluded on the Sunday evening with a beer-tasting session led by wine, whisky and real ale expert, Nikki Welch, who has published pocket guides on all three tipples.

In a change to the programme, ITN news anchor Tom Bradby’s appearance was brought forward by 24 hours, due to his documentary about Prince Harry and Meghan Markel was being aired on Sunday night.

Launched in 2012 by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by Harrogate law firm, Raworths, it is now considered one of the finest literary showcases in the country, and one that recently-published authors clamour to be seen at.

In fact, such is its reputation that Mr Cameron specifically chose Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival as his only northern appearance to promote his memoir, For The Record.

Ex-Prime Minister's event sells out at Harrogate's Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival

Harrogate International Festivals chief executive Sharon Canavar said: “I’m delighted to say The Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival has once again lived up to expectations in terms of the quality of the guest speakers and audience numbers.

“Each year we aim to bring together a wide range of different literary genres under one roof, and again we achieved this, from gardening to political thrillers and heroic war exploits to historic who dunnits.

“I would like to thank Raworths for their continued support of this annual festival, which has firmly put Harrogate on the national literary circuit.

“I must also thank the fabulous interviewers, whose job it was to get the very best out their celebrity interviewees, which is an art in itself; the Waterstones team who manned the bookshop throughout the four days and, last by not least, the Harrogate International Festivals team who worked incredibly hard, not just over the festival’s four days, but in the weeks running up to it.”

Sharon added: “As one chapter closes on the story of the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, another is just about to open.

"Our programming is already developing for a special year in 2020.”

M&S to help tackle street begging with Harrogate Street Aid launch