Literary Festival 2023

Mayfair Times is bringing back its literary festival this summer with a star-studded line-up. Supported by Auriens Chelsea and Montblanc, the third edition of the festival will run from June 22 to July 5 and will celebrate the written word with a packed programme of talks, walks, quizzes, cocktails nights, theatre events, panel discussions, and much more.

We are partnering with a host of local venues across Mayfair, Marylebone, St James’s, Belgravia and Chelsea to celebrate the literary heritage of central London, giving guests the chance to share the company of bestselling authors and cultural icons.

“We are delighted to be bringing our literary festival back this year,” says Selma Day, editor of Mayfair Times and founder of the Mayfair Times Literary Festival. “What sets London apart from other global cities is its rich arts and cultural scene and we would like to play our part in celebrating this. We are excited to see the festival shaping up with a series of diverse and inclusive events across venues in Mayfair and beyond, and hope to inject some heart and soul back into an area that has been the centre of the literary community for hundreds of years.”

JANE AUSTEN AND REGENCY CHARM
Thursday June 22, at 2pm-3pm and 3.30pm-4.30pm

Transport yourself to the Regency era with Professor John Mullan, Northcliffe Professor of English Literature at UCL and eminent authority on Austen. Chaired by Hellen Blackwell, chairman of the Jane Austen Society London Branch, this intimate discussion takes place in the former home of Jane Austen's favourite brother, Henry. Now a boutique hotel, the townhouse celebrates its heritage with beautiful interiors of a bygone age. Two separate hour-long sessions will take place, each with an audience Q&A at the end.

Henry's Townhouse, 24 Upper Berkeley Street, Marylebone 

Tickets are £20 and include a glass of champagne.

Both events are now fully booked

IN CONVERSATION WITH HENRY WINTER
Friday June 23, 3pm-4.30pm

Enjoy a rounded conversation about the highs and the lows of writing on the beautiful game with The Times' chief football correspondent Henry Winter. Widely regarded as one of the most respected voices in football,  as evidenced by his 1.3 million twitter followers, Henry has covered multiple World Cups and European tournaments, written from everywhere — from deep in the Amazon and the Brazilian favelas to a snowball encrusted telephone box — and won multiple awards for his writing. Mayfair Times' writer, Will Moffitt, quizzes the veteran football journalist about chaotic match reports, the art of great sportswriting, following England home and away, and ghostwriting footballers’ memoirs.

St James Suite, DUKES London, 35 St James's Place 

Tickets are £20, including up to two glasses of wine or up to three beers and can be booked here: eventbrite.com/in-conversation-with-henry-winter

BEDTIME STORIES WITH SAVOIR
Friday, June 23, 5pm

Located in the heart of Mayfair, makers of the world’s most extraordinary beds, Savoir, will be hosting an event for up-and-coming author, Taymour Soomro, to promote his new book in their beautiful showroom.

Author Taymour Soomro will perform an exclusive reading of his debut novel ‘Other Names for Love’, a tale of masculinity, inheritance, and desire set against the backdrop of Pakistan’s troubled history, told with uncommon urgency and beauty.

Savoir Beds, 6a Bourdon Street, Mayfair, W1K 3PB

Tickets are £10 (all proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust), including English sparkling wine and can be booked here: eventbrite.co.uk/bedtime-stories-with-savoir

SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT
Sunday June 25, 5pm

Shakespeare in the Squares, in partnership with the Mayfair Times Literary Festival, invites you to a performance of one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays. The production offers a unique audience experience of theatre, music and dance. Belgrave Square Garden will be open, from 3pm, for guests wishing to enjoy their own picnic before the show.

Belgrave Square Gardens, Belgravia.

Fully booked

FRIEDA HUGHES
Monday June 26, 6.30pm

Artist and author Frieda Hughes, the daughter of literary royalty Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, speaks about her new book George: A Magpie Memoir and much more.

Hatchards, 187 Piccadilly, St. James’s

Fully booked

AMISH TRIPATHI AND VIVEK SINGH
Tuesday June 27, 7.30pm

A special event featuring author Amish Tripathi and chef Vivek Singh. Amish is the fastest-selling author in Indian publishing history, besides being a diplomat and TV documentary host. His book Raavan, recently published in the UK, tells the story of one of the most complex and fascinating characters in Indian mythology.

Vivek is one of the most inspiring Indian chefs of his generation. His signature culinary style marries modern Indian flavours with western techniques. He’s the author of six cookbooks and a regular face on both television and live cookery events across the country.

At this event, Amish and Vivek will discuss Raavan’s journey from modern-day Delhi to Sri Lanka and his place in Indian culture. Farzana Baduel, founder and CEO of Curzon PR, will introduce the event and join the conversation between Amish and Vivek about the intersection of literature and food. The event will include a special meal curated by Vivek based on Amish’s book.

The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, Great Smith Street

Fully booked

IN CONVERSATION WITH INDIA HICKS
Tuesday June 27, 6pm-7.30pm 

Enjoy a glass of champagne whilst listening to Rizzoli author, entrepreneur and model, India Hicks, discuss her life and work. A British designer, writer, businesswoman, and former fashion model, after graduating from the New England School of Photography, Hicks became an interior designer and a model for Ralph Lauren, among others. A daughter of Lady Pamela Hicks, and renowned designer David Hicks,  she is a descendant of the Mountbatten family and King Charles III’s goddaughter.

India will be discussing her book, An Entertaining Story, in which she presents readers with her irreverent take on style and entertaining. India will describe her spin on entertaining for all occasions – family suppers, big dinners, British breakfasts and most importantly – cocktail hour. She will offer tips and ideas on how to host events full of personality and charm, whilst also weaving in stories about her own family and life in the Bahamas and England. Heywood Hill will be selling signed copies of her book on the night.

The Belgravia Room, The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner

Fully booked

THE MYSTERIOUS AGATHA CHRISTIE
Tuesday June 27, 9.45am-11.15am

Outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is one of the world’s best-selling novelists, famous for her Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple detective stories. But what do we know about Christie herself? Biographer Laura Thompson, author of Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life, shines a light on Christie’s upbringing, influences and her own mysterious disappearance. Enjoy tea, coffee and pastries in The Drawing Room of Brown’s, a hotel where Christie was a regular visitor and was said to have inspired her novel, At Bertram’s Hotel.

The Drawing Room, Brown’s Hotel,  a Rocco Forte Hotel, Albemarle Street, Mayfair

Tickets are £25 and can be booked here: eventbrite.com/the-mysterious-agatha-christie

POETRY AS SALVATION
Wednesday June 28, 6.30pm- 8.30pm

IN CONVERSATION WITH PAOLA DIANA
Wednesday June 28, 12.30pm 

Mumble Forum joins forces with the Mayfair Times Literary Festival to celebrate with a seated lunch and talk at the Home Grown Club – an interview with author Paola Diana on her bestselling book “Saving the World. Women: the XXI’s Century Factor for Change” – a part manifesto for change about women’s condition through the centuries, analysing their treatment within political, religious, economic, and societal contexts to form a bigger picture of their place in the world; because to understand the present, and make a substantial difference, we must get to grips with the past and own it!

Leading the talk will be Mumble Forum founder Monique Hodgson and Maria Kastani. Feel inspired and enjoy a three-course lunch, panel talk and networking drinks.

Tickets: £65.71

Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mayfair-times-literary-festival-x-mumble-forum-tickets-634987343237

SHADOWLANDS, SANCTUARIES AND PILGRIM PLACES
Thursday, June 29, 6pm

Author and journalist, Catherine Fairweather hosts a panel discussion between Dr Matthew Green and Dr Guy Hayward to explore the profound ways in which our memories are intertwined with the physical spaces we inhabit, as well as touching on how our surroundings shape and influence our collective narratives.

Dr Matthew Green is a historian, writer and broadcaster with a doctorate from Oxford University. He is the author of the Times Top 10 bestselling Shadowlands: A Journey through Lost Britain which was nominated for the Wainwright Prize for best nature writing.

Dr Guy Hayward is co-founder of the British Pilgrimage Trust, half of musical comedy double act Bounder & Cad, and creator of ChoralEvensong.org, has recently published Britain’s Pilgrim Places.

Signed copies of each book will be available to purchase.

Auriens Chelsea, 2 Dovehouse Street, Chelsea

Tickets are priced at £20 and include the panel discussion, a welcome drink and canapés. You can book these here: eventbrite.co.uk/shadowlands-sanctuaries-and-pilgrim-places

BEHIND THE BLUE PLAQUES
Wednesday June 28, 6pm 

A cast of actors, including Dominic West, bring the Blue Plaques of Belgravia to life on a new audiobook walk. ‘A Walk Through Belgravia’, by Storystock Sounds, tells the stories of eight famous residents including renowned literary figures such as Ian Fleming, Vita Sackville West and Mary Shelley. Enjoy a glass of wine at The Hari hotel with the walk’s creators, before being handed an illustrated map and QR code to begin your summer stroll at leisure (approximately one hour) from Sloane Square station.

The Snug at The Hari, 20 Chesham Place, Belgravia

Tickets: £20, including a glass of wine and can be booked here: eventbrite.co.uk/behind-the-blue-plaques

A CELEBRATION OF JAMES BOND
Thursday June 29, 2.30pm-3.30pm

Vesper Bar at The Dorchester, Park Lane, Mayfair

Fully booked

Fortnum & Mason x Mayfair Times – Tales from the Kitchen
Thursday June 29, 6.30pm-8.30pm

In partnership with the Mayfair Times’ annual Literary Festival, join food writer and chef Ching He Huang MBE, chef and Green Michelin Star restaurateur Chantelle Nicholson and food writer Gurdeep Loyal as they share extraordinary tales from their kitchen.

Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly,  St. James’s

Fully booked

A CELEBRATION OF HANDEL & HENDRIX
Thursday June 29, 6pm

Discover the colourful world of musicians, George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix, in the Mayfair townhouses they used to call home. Fresh from a multi-million pound renovation, enjoy a glass of wine in the company of author David Souden who will launch his new Handel & Hendrix guide.

Handel & Hendrix, 25 Brook Street, Mayfair

Tickets are £15, including a glass of wine and can be booked here: handelhendrix.org/literary-festival-guidebook-launch/

ANNA MURPHY IN CONVERSATION
Sunday July 2, 6pm

Anna Murphy, fashion director of The Times, will be in conversation with our editor Selma Day to discuss her new book, Destination Fabulous: Finding Your Way to the Best You Yet. Drawing on the wisdom of writers from May Oliver to Eckhart Tole, they’ll discuss the many benefits of growing older and wiser.

The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair W1K 6TF

Tickets are £40, including a drinks reception with canapés and a copy of the book (RRP £20), which Anna will happily sign after the event. Tickets can be booked here: thebeaumont.com/news/literary-series/literary-series-Anna-Murphy

ITALIAN OPERA AND POETRY
Monday July 3, 6pm-8pm

An evening at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Inigo Lambertini, honouring the script of great opera! British-Cypriot soprano and pianist Katerina Mina performs some of the most famous arias and art songs of the greatest Italian librettists in the history of Italian opera.

Residence of the Italian Ambassador to the UK, 4 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair

Fully booked

Q&A WITH ANITA RANI
Monday July 3, 6.30pm-8.30pm

Anita, an RTS award-winning broadcaster with a career spanning nearly 20 years, will be chatting to Curzon PR founder Farzana Baduel. A familiar face on British television, Anita is a lead presenter on BBC One’s Countryfile and one of the main hosts on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, as well as covering numerous popular slots for BBC Radio 2. In July 2021, Anita published her memoir The Right Sort of Girl and July 6 will see her debut her first fiction novel Baby Does A Runner. In March 2023, Anita was installed as the new chancellor for the University of Bradford.

Grosvenor House, 86-90 Park Lane, Mayfair

Tickets are £20, including a glass of champagne and can be booked here: eventbrite.co.uk/anita-rani

Delve into the world of the legendary filmmaker behind classics such as The Birds, North by Northwest, Psycho and Rear Window. The British director is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema, but was not without his controversies. Hitchcock experts and authors, Tony Lee Moral (author of four Hitchcock books, including forthcoming Alfred Hitchcock's Storyboards by Titan Books) and Dr Stephane Duckett (Hitchcock in Context) discuss his life and upbringing, the historical context from which his films emerged and allegations about the darker side of his character.

Manetta's Bar, Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon Street

Tickets, priced £20 each, include a bespoke ‘Hitchcock cocktail'. Book here: eventbrite.com/alfred-hitchcock-master-of-suspense

LITERARY ODYSSEY – INK & INSPIRATION IN MAYFAIR & ST JAMES’S
Tuesday, July 4, 11.30am

It was here that Byron awoke to “find myself famous;” Mrs Dalloway did a spot of window shopping at London’s most exclusive bookshop; Bertram Wooster sat in the bath “soaping a meditative foot;” and James Bond uttered the immortal words, “shaken not stirred” And that’s just a taster. This one’s a Literary Superstars Variety Act. It’s a show resplendent with wonders: acts like Oscar Wilde, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward, Agatha Christie, Evelyn Waugh, Somerset Maugham, Dr Johnson, Nancy Mitford, Patrick Leigh Fermor, and Michael Arlen; let alone Mark Twain, Henry James and Stephen King (hey, it is the 4th of July).

Well, you get the idea. Bottom line: this is where London’s Literary Golden Fleece is to be found. And we find it. And gather it. Our argosy* is captained by star London Walks guide Fiona- Jane. She’s a performance artist as well as a guide, so we’ll crest the foam-flecked waves in style. *Yes, eliding The Odyssey and the Quest for the Golden Fleece here but it’s a fitting thing to do – attests to how rich and varied in literary (and other matters) these London waters are.

Meeting location: Green Park Underground Station (outside the North exit, on the corner of Piccadilly and Stratton Street)

Tickets are £20 and can be booked here: walks.com/our-walks/mayfair-st-jamess-a-literary-argosy

BILL WYMAN IN CONVERSATION
Wednesday July 5, 6pm

Auriens Chelsea hosts former Rolling Stone discusses his erudite and fascinating new book about the history of Chelsea. Copies of the book, signed by Bill, will be available to buy.

Auriens Chelsea, 2 Dovehouse Street

Fully booked

AN EVENING WITH  RAVINDER BHOGAL
Wednesday July 5, 7pm-10pm

To celebrate Jikoni chef Ravinder Bhogal’s new book, Comfort & Joy. Irresistable Pleasures from a Vegetarian Kitchen, La Fromagerie chef Alessandro will be cooking a summer feast of recipes from the book. Ravinder will host the event, talking about her book, her love of food and life in the kitchen.

La Fromagerie, 2-4 Moxon Street, Marylebone

Tickets can be booked here: lafromagerie.co.uk

SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT
Wednesday July 5, 7pm

Shakespeare in the Squares, in partnership with the Mayfair Times Literary Festival, invites you to a performance of one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays. The production offers a unique audience experience of theatre, music and dance. St James's Square garden will be open, from 5.50pm, for guests wishing to enjoy their own picnic before the show.

St James’s Square, St James's

Fully booked