Theakstons raises a glass to another chapter of crime writing festival

YORKSHIRE brewer Theakstons has extended its backing of the Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which has become the biggest celebration of the genre in the world.

At the London launch of the 2016 Festival programme, Simon Theakston, executive director of T&R Theakston announced a further extension of its headline sponsorship.

Hosted at Browns in Covent Garden the programme launch saw 2016 festival programming chairman Peter James, joined by authors including Val McDermid, SJ Watson, and Laura Wilson, as well as more than 150 stellar names from the industry including publishers, agents and press.

Mr Theakston said the award-winning arts and business partnership has given “huge benefit” to both Theakstons and the Festival.

He said: “Our support gives the long-term foundation and confidence to the Festival organisers to build and develop the Festival even further for the future.

We’re so proud to support the Arts in the community in which we live and work. In turn the sponsorship enables us to reach a completely new audience of potential customers, and helps the Theakstons name travel all around the world. Within the portfolio of Theakstons brands Old Peculier is completely unique; its provenance and history and its recipe – so we needed to have a unique vehicle to help market the brand.

“The crime writing festival was the perfect fit. The name Old Peculier is a tribute to the Court of the Peculier in Masham a Court established in medieval England to deal with criminal matters in Masham, so there’s an obvious link to crime.”

Last year saw 60 million opportunities to read about the Festival in print media alone, with a PR and marketing campaign worth over £2.7m, and the festival attracted 80% of its die-hard fans from outside Yorkshire.  

The Festival began in 2003 co-founded by crime author Val McDermid, agent Jane Gregory, and the arts charity Harrogate International Festivals. Theakstons became title sponsor 13 years ago.

The 14th Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival takes place at Agatha Christies’ old haunt, the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, from 21-24 July this year with over 90 authors, and is expected to sell 14,000 tickets to crime aficionados from all over the world.

Over the years the Festival has featured iconic names including Ruth Rendell, PD James, Frederick Forsyth, JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith, Lee Child, Kate Atkinson and Jo Nesbo.

This year sees Val McDermid join special guests Martina Cole, Jeffery Deaver, Linwood Barclay, Tess Gerritsen, Gerald Seymour and Luther-creator, Neil Cross.

Sharon Canavar, CEO of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “Our experienced organisation matched with the industry know-how of the programming committee has proved an incredibly successful partnership over the years. The consistent support from our sponsor has been instrumental and has been a relationship destined for success.”

The Theakstons name has been so entwined with the crime genre the beer even featured one year in an episode of NCIS Los Angeles in 2011.

Ms Canavar added: “The success of the partnership shows the huge impact business can have when it comes to supporting the arts. Having the power of a title sponsor to help promote the event nationally, and even internationally, shows how intelligent brand alignment can really deliver results.”

The Festival also delivers the most prestigious of crime fiction awards, the annual Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.