Shitty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung UK Cities
Join bestselling author Ben Aitken for Shitty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung UK Cities, a wry and warm-hearted look at the places most travel guides skip.
Based on his latest book, Aitken takes us on a journey through some of Britain’s most maligned towns and cities, from Slough to Stoke, uncovering their overlooked charm, humour, and resilience.
Blending social commentary with sharp observational writing, Aitken challenges our assumptions about class, identity, and what makes a place worth visiting. This event is a joyous tribute to the unloved corners of the UK and the people who live there.
About the Author
Ben Aitken
Ben Aitken was born under Thatcher, grew to 6ft then stopped, and is an Aquarius. He was conceived by a nurse and a shipwright, grew up in Portsmouth, was in a boyband for a spell in the noughties, then worked as a carer throughout his twenties, all the while scribbling on the side. He is the author of six books: Dear Bill Bryson: Footnotes from a Small Island , wherein he followed Bill Bryson around the country for no good reason; A Chip Shop in Poznan: My Unlikely Year in Poland , wherein he worked in a fish and chip shop and travelled the country on a shoestring; The Gran Tour: Travels with my Elders , which involved six budget coach holidays with people much his senior and is a celebration of intergenerational relations; The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple , which involved moving in with an 85-year-old widow on the eve of a national lockdown; Here Comes The Fun , which investigates the serious business of having a laugh; and Sh*tty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung Cities , which champions overlooked metropoles and argues that anywhere – like anyone – can be interesting and enjoyable if approached in the right fashion. He writes for The Guardian and The Times, was the TCG Travel Journalist of the Year in 2024, and is an occasional lecturer at the University of Portsmouth.
About the Chair
Peg Alexander
Peg Alexander is a Leeds based award winning broadcaster, presenter, and journalist across TV, radio, podcasts and events. A colourful, warm, optimistic northerner, she’s all about the world we live in and life in general – people, politics, the planet, and cake. She‘s a regular on shows including Jeremy Vine on 5 and previously Steph’s Packed Lunch, and is often heard on national radio putting her twopenneth in.
Broadcasting is her 2nd career. Before moving into the media she was a charity CEO and was senior in public policy. She was also founding Director of Bradford’s UNESCO status as the world’s first City of Film. She now combines both careers.
She’s written 2 books – one on how to keep weight off long term and is currently finishing a travel-inspired memoir.
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