James Hanning talks to Horatio Clare with guests Derek Addyman and Anne Brichto

Discover the story of how Hay-on-Wye came to be known as a book town, and the man who made it happen. Journalist James Hanning talks to writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare about the story of Richard Booth, the eccentric and chaotic entrepreneur known as the King of Hay. Guests Derek Addyman (who worked for Booth in the ‘70s) and Anne Brichto, who together run four bookshops in Hay including Addyman Books and Murder & Mayhem, bring first-hand experience of the early days of Booth’s reign.

They delve into Booth’s life, from buying a small shop in an obscure market town on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, to creating the world’s largest second-hand bookshop. Booth laid the foundations for the town’s reputation, eventually resulting in the founding of Hay Festival, a rival attraction that dismayed him.