Heather French began organising a book festival in Scarborough when she was a local librarian fourteen years ago. When the local authority ceased to support it she carried on, changing the name of the event to ‘Books By the Beach’ and funding it exclusively from ticket sales. Carolyn and I love it, firstly because we love Heather and her passion for books, secondly because it’s as local as book festivals get for us and thirdly because the quality of the writers it attracts is only matched by the size of the audiences.

I was kept busy this year by interviewing David Torrance about his book ‘The Wild Men’ on Ramsey MacDonald’s first Labour government of 1924 and Kate Summerscale on her book about the terrible crimes committed at No.10 Rillington Place (‘Peepshow’).

It wasn’t until Sunday that I got to talk about my Harold Wilson biography on stage with the impeccable Gerry Foley.

There was a Wilson connection with both David and Kate’s books. When eight-year-old Harold stood in front of the black lacquered door of 10, Downing Street in what is probably the most famous childhood photograph of any future PM, MacDonald was the man inside. And the furore about the wrongful conviction of Timothy Evans for murders that Christie committed led to the death penalty being suspended and then abolished under Wilson’s premiership.

If you’re into lit-fests but have never ‘done’ Scarborough you’re missing out on a wonderful event in a lovely location.