We had the best time at Bay Tales this weekend! Beth and I headed over to Whitley Bay on Friday night, where we met Lindsey for tea, followed by a drink at Gilbert & Smiths.
The next morning, we were up bright and early for breakfast at Relish where we met Annie and Lindsey before heading across to the Playhouse in Whitley Bay for Bay Tales.
As soon as we entered, we were greeted by the lovely Ann Cleeves, who explained where everything was. We picked up our tote bags filled with goodies and headed in for the festival.
This jam-packed festival brings fantastic authors to the seaside, all for a bargain ticket price! The day ran as follows:
• Patron’s Pick: Ann Cleeves in conversation with William Shaw moderated by Tim Rideout
• Viper Books Panel: The Law in their Hands with Janice Hallett, Tariq Ashkanani, Oskar Jenson, Guy Morpuss, moderated by Emma Flint
• Pan Macmillan Panel with Sarah Hillary, Tracy Whitwell and Ellery Lloyd moderated by Steph McGovern
• Orion Books Panel: The Business of Murder with Emma Kavanagh, John Sutherland, Mari Hannah and Anna Mazzola, moderated by Chris MacDonald
• 2025’s Special Guests: Mark Billingham and C. L. Taylor.
In between the fantastic panels, we headed to The Lough Ran for lunch, which did amazing smash burgers! I loved that Bay Tales showcased authors’ favourite drinks and where to order them locally, along with a map of local food spots and discounts. Supporting local businesses is so important and it was great to see how much Bay Tales truly championed Whitley Bay ♥
Bay Tales will return on the 28th February 2026 and tickets are now on sale here.
Beth Reads Crime 
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