Barton Bus By Dave Root at Wikipedia.

Every year in Hay-on-Wye, arty farty folk meet in a tented village on the edge of the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park and quaff champagne while discussing books. So esteemed are these debates that Bill Clinton once described it as the ‘woodstock of the mind’. Now, thanks to New Writers UK, Nottingham is going to host its very own version in the luscious surroundings of Bartons bus depot, Chilwell.

The six hour literary marathon starts at 10am with a strong focus on local history. First up is Maureen Rushton whose talk ‘Canary Girls of Chilwell’ tells the story of those who worked at the National Shell Filling Factory during WWI. Then later on you can catch Alan Oxley’s fascinating talk ‘Gasbags and Gliders’, which explores the history of Bartons Transport from 1908 up to 1989. To get you in the mood there will be a selection of old buses on display, so bring your camera along but make sure Blakey doesn’t catch you.

For those looking for technical tips on the writing process, make sure you arrive at 11.20am for Gloria Morgan’s discussion on the role of character in fiction. This is followed at 12 noon by Philip Baker’s talk on the creative process and where ideas come from. The headline act is crime author Stephen Booth who will be discussing a sense of place and the use of location in his novels, though as far as we are aware, he’s yet to set any of his Cooper and Fry novels in a disused bus depot.

Bartons has hosted film, music and comedy festivals in the past so it’s great to see literature finally getting a turn. But if books and buses aren’t your thing, don’t worry. Running concurrently is the monthly ‘NOT the Camden Market’ with over 50 stalls from local crafters and foodie folk with a bit of music thrown in. You won’t even need your wellies.

Barton House, 61 High Road, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 4AJ For more details on this and other NOT events, please see the Bartons website

Published in Issue 52 Leftlion