Third annual festival brings Scottish literature, history, crime fiction and poetry to Scotland House London, the Caledonian Club and St Columba’s Church across a week of events
The London St Andrew’s Book Festival returns to the capital for its third year from 16 to 22 November 2026, with an expanded programme spanning crime fiction, history, memoir, poetry, and the arts — and the introduction of the festival’s first dedicated Gaelic language and music event.
Public ticket sales open on 25 September, with a launch event at Scotland House London on 23 September featuring author and broadcaster Gavin Esler as special guest speaker. Festival Friends and Members can book from 23 September ahead of general public access.
The festival is produced by Scots in London, an organisation founded in 2017 to promote Scottish heritage, culture, and the arts in the capital, bringing together a coalition of organisations including two Church of Scotland churches, the Caledonian Club, London Scottish Rugby, the ScotsCare charity, and the Burns Club of London.
Venues
Events will be spread across three central London venues with strong Scottish connections:
- Scotland House London — the official home of the Scottish Government in London
- The Caledonian Club — one of London’s oldest Scottish membership clubs, based in Belgravia
- St Columba’s Church of Scotland — the principal Church of Scotland congregation in London, located in Pont Street, Knightsbridge
Highlights From the Programme
Memoir and Personal Stories
Carol Kirkwood — Former BBC Breakfast weather presenter and author, appearing at a Literary Lunch to discuss her broadcasting career and writing life.
Bill Paterson — Scottish actor, appearing in conversation about his memoir recounting his childhood and observations of a changing Glasgow from the 1950s to the present across seven decades.
Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean — Three brothers discussing their memoir about their record-breaking 9,750-mile row across the Pacific Ocean, a journey that raised over £1 million for clean water projects.
Crime Fiction
Val McDermid — One of Scotland’s most celebrated crime writers, appearing alongside Geographer Royal for Scotland Jo Sharp to discuss their contribution to the Darkland Tales series.
Louise Welsh — Award-winning crime writer discussing her latest novel.
Harriet Tyce — Actress and bestselling author, whose new thriller explores a sensational Edinburgh murder case.
Gordon Simpson — Former sports writer discussing his golf thriller with broadcaster Clark McGinn.
History and Biography
Murray Pittock and Brian Groom — Two leading historians presenting a joint event on the forces that have shaped Scotland across centuries, covering battles, kingdoms, identity, and nationhood.
Andrew Lownie — Royal family historian discussing his investigation into Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Gareth Russell — Historian and broadcaster discussing his biography of James VI and I, exploring the king’s turbulent reign, political intrigue, and personal life.
Alice Strang — Art historian presenting the history of the Scottish Colourists, the groundbreaking group that transformed Scottish art in the early twentieth century.
Poetry and Spoken Word
Three of Scotland’s most distinctive poetic voices will share the stage in a celebration of spoken word, storytelling, and performance:
Jackie Kay — Former Makar (national poet of Scotland), author of May Day.
Len Pennie — Award-winning poet and social media sensation, author of Poyums Annaw.
Hannah Lavery — Acclaimed poet, playwright, and performer, author of Everything Everyday.
The three poets will explore themes of identity, language, place, and community connection through their work.
Debut Authors
The festival has a specific commitment to platforming new voices alongside established names. This year’s debut author event features four first-time published writers:
Mhairi Collie — A consultant surgeon whose debut is a medical drama drawing on her clinical experience.
Avril Millar — An engineer, teacher, and former CEO, presenting her debut novel Feral.
Christina Riley — An underwater artist in residence at the Argyll Coast Hope Spot, whose essay collection draws on her work in marine environments.
Kirsty Lockwood — A former political journalist and award winner in the Young Women Scotland 30 Inspirational Women Under 30 programme, presenting her psychological thriller debut.
The First Gaelic Event
The 2026 festival introduces its first dedicated event in the Scottish Gaelic language. Marcas Mac an Tuairneir — a poet, songwriter, and English-born Gaelic learner — will appear alongside the London Gaelic Choir for an evening of poetry, conversation, and live music.
The event explores Gaelic language, Scottish and LGBTQ+ identity, resilience, and belonging through poetry and musical settings of Marcas’s work. It reflects the festival’s commitment to representing the full breadth of Scottish cultural expression, including minority languages and diverse community voices that are sometimes absent from mainstream literary festivals.
Additional Events
Alongside the main programme, the festival will include:
- Whisky tastings — guided exploration of Scottish whisky
- Scotland-themed quizzes with prizes
- Panel discussions and audience Q&A sessions throughout the week
Why Scottish Literature Matters in London
Scotland produces a disproportionately large number of significant literary figures relative to its population — from Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott through Muriel Spark, Iain Banks, and James Kelman to the contemporary generation of crime writers, novelists, and poets who have established international reputations over the past three decades.
London’s population of Scottish-born residents is substantial, estimated at several hundred thousand across the capital and surrounding areas. The St Andrew’s Book Festival serves this community directly while also introducing Scottish literature and culture to London’s broader readership — an audience that may not have easy access to Scotland’s literary events calendar.
The festival’s positioning ahead of St Andrew’s Day on 30 November is deliberate, placing the literary programme within a wider annual celebration of Scottish culture that intensifies through November and into the first days of December.
How to Book
Public ticket sales open: 25 September 2026
Festival Friends and Members booking: from 23 September 2026
Launch event: Scotland House London, 23 September, featuring Gavin Esler
Full programme and tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org
