The Man Who Transformed a Welsh Town

Nestled in the picturesque Welsh countryside, the historic town of Hay-on-Wye was once a sleepy farming community. But thanks to the eccentric and visionary Richard Booth, it has become a renowned literary hub and a magnet for book lovers from around the world.

The Birth of a Book Town

Born in England in 1938, Booth came to Hay-on-Wye as a child and quickly fell in love with its charm. After graduating from Oxford with a degree in history, he briefly worked as an accountant before returning to his beloved town.

In the 1960s, Booth began to transform Hay-on-Wye into a literary paradise. He purchased the town’s former fire station, Norman castle, and several warehouses, which he filled with hundreds of thousands of used books. He sourced his literary treasures from colleges, monasteries, and the libraries of bankrupt landed gentry.

A Unique Niche

Booth’s vision for Hay-on-Wye was not driven by profit, but by a desire to revive his beloved town and create a unique niche on the global map. He opened six used bookstores in Hay and inspired the opening of nearly 30 others in the small town of less than 2,000 people.

Anne Addyman, who runs Addyman Books in Hay, credits Booth with “diversifying a rural economy” and creating a thriving bookselling industry in the town.

The Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts

In 1987, Booth founded the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, which has become one of the most prestigious literary events in the world. The festival attracts renowned writers, historians, musicians, and politicians from around the globe and has been dubbed “the Woodstock of the mind” by former US President Bill Clinton.

King of Hay-on-Wye

Booth’s outsized personality and flair for self-promotion extended beyond his bookselling ventures. On April Fool’s Day of 1977, he proclaimed himself King of Hay-on-Wye and declared his horse to be Prime Minister. He issued passports to the townspeople, bestowed peerages, and established a “secret” service known as the C.I.Hay.

A Lasting Legacy

Despite setbacks and financial losses, Booth’s spirit and sense of humor never waned. Until his death in 2020, he operated a shop in Hay-on-Wye called the King of Hay, which sold books, journals, and paraphernalia celebrating his reign.

Richard Booth’s legacy lives on in the thriving literary culture of Hay-on-Wye. His vision transformed a sleepy Welsh town into a vibrant hub for book lovers, writers, and artists, and his impact on the town will continue to be felt for generations to come.