Description
Friday 23rd May 2025 – 7:00pm
Join us for an interesting and fun evening in conversation with best selling travel writer Ben Aitken (Chip Shop in Poznan, The Marmalade Diaries, The Gran Tour) for the launch of his new book Sh*tty Breaks –
Hailing from Portsmouth, Ben knows from experience that unfashionable places can be quietly brilliant. So, over the course of a year he 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), Shitty 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?
We offer a ticketless booking system. Please select ‘Collect from shop’ option at the checkout to avoid carriage fees. You will receive an email confirming your booking and all you need to do is give your name at the welcome desk on the night.
