Ben Aitken, Sh*tty Breaks

Over the course of a year, the author of A Chip Shop in Poznan and The Gran Tour, Ben Aitken, visited twelve of the least popular spots in the UK and Ireland (including eating jellied eels in Chelmsford). The motivation wasn’t to take the mickey, but to uncover the gems and have a nice time. He soon discovered that anywhere – like anyone – can be interesting and enjoyable if approached in the right fashion.

Friday 20th June, 7.00pm

Venue: Basildon Library, The Basildon Centre, St. Martin’s Square, Basildon, Essex, SS14 1EE

Tickets: £10 / £8 concessions (Students, Under 27s and Unwaged)

Box Office: essexbookfestival.org.uk or Mercury Theatre 01206 573948

Sh*tty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung Cities by Ben Aitken

Not everything that glitters is gold – which is why Ben Aitken gave London the cold shoulder and went to Preston instead.

Hailing from Portsmouth, Ben knew from experience that unfashionable places could be quietly brilliant. So, over the course of a year, the author of A Chip Shop in Poznan and The Gran Tour visited twelve of the least popular spots in the UK and Ireland for a city break. The motivation wasn’t to take the mickey or stick the boot in, but to seek out the good stuff, to uncover the gems, to have a nice time. By doing so, he hoped to demonstrate that anywhere – like anyone – can be interesting and nourishing and enjoyable if approached in the right fashion.

Ben went skiing in Sunderland, to the football in Wrexham, and fell in love with Dunfermline. He kissed an alpaca in Bradford, suffered jellied eels in Chelmsford, and had more craic in Limerick than was wise. The upshot is a celebration of the underdog; a hymn to the wrong direction; and evidence that there’s no such thing as a shitty break. What’s more, by spreading its affection beyond the usual suspects (which are often overdone and overpriced), Sh*tty Breaks promotes a less expensive and more sustainable brand of travel.

By ghosting Bath and giving Lisbon the boot, the book champions the unsung in an algorithmic, over-signposted world dominated by celebs and hotspots. Cheeky weekend in Milton Keynes anyone?

Order a copy of Shitty Breaks by Ben Aitken from the Essex Book Festival online bookshop at bookshop.org

Ben Aitken

Ben Aitken was born under Thatcher, grew to 6ft then stopped, and is an Aquarius. He is the author of six books: Dear Bill Bryson, A Chip Shop in Poznan (a Times bestseller), The Gran Tour (‘Both moving and hilarious’, Spectator), The Marmalade Diaries, Here Comes the Fun and Sh*tty Breaks.