Best-selling crime author Ann Cleeves has thrown her weight behind a much-loved book fair that is set to make a return after falling victim to the Covid lockdowns.
The Whitley Bay -based author behind the Vera, Shetland and Two Rivers series of crime novels – all of which have been adapted into hugely successful TV dramas for ITV and the BBC – has pledged her support for the Tynemouth Station Book Fair, which will again be taking place after its enforced two-and-a-half-year break on April 24.
Ann – who has become a Friend of the Book Fair – said: “I am delighted that Tynemouth Station Book Fair will return this year, as a celebration of reading in all its forms. A must-visit for collectors, sellers and all book lovers.”
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The award-winning crime writer who was made an OBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours List, has urged others to show their support for the event, which until Covid had been a regular fixture in the Tynemouth Station events calendar for almost 30 years.
The hugely popular fairs held four times a year at Tynemouth’s Grade two listed station, are the only independent book events of their kind running in the Tyne and Wear area. The dates for the other book fairs are June 19, August 21 and October 16.
The fairs grew out of a flea market held at Tynemouth Station in the 1970s which had a number of book stalls nestled among those offering bric-a-brac and household goods. Following a one-off large scale book fair in the early 1990s, local book dealers expressed an interest in expanding the number of such stalls at the market.
This led to the Friends of Tynemouth Station beginning the regular book fairs that continue to this day held on the west concourse.
The Linksill Trust has recently stepped-in to provide resources and support to ensure the events can continue to run. And the future of the art exhibitions held on the bridge connecting both Tynemouth Station’s platforms, have also been assured with funding set to come from the surplus cash created by the book fairs.
The bridge gallery exhibits are created by local schools, community groups and individual artists.
