02 Oct 2024
Bibliophiles were out in force for the inaugural Book Club Battle at the Pioneer Club.
Book clubs and book enthusiasts came together to take part in the quiz which was hosted by acclaimed local authors Matt Arlidge and Becky Alexander.
Rounds included first lines, where competitors were asked to guess a book by the opening line, and picture rounds such as book covers with the titles removed.
The idea was the brainchild of event manager Jon Prayer’s wife.
Jon said: “My wife Emma pitched the idea to me one evening and I thought it was great! I simply fleshed it out a bit and luckily managed to recruit Matt and Becky to run it to add the authenticity required for an event like this.
“It’s been such a fun night, Matt and Becky were both effortless in their hosting and we also had a book swap table which was a great success.”
Co-host Matt Arlidge said: “I was thrilled to take part in the inaugural Battle of the Book Clubs at the Pioneer. It was a hugely enjoyable, fiercely contested, occasion and a good time was had by all. Hopefully it marks the start of exciting times to come at the Pioneer Club.”
Fellow co-host Becky simply said: “A room full of booksmart people – my perfect night out!”
The winners of the debut Book Club Battle were The Inquizitors and they will hopefully be back to defend their title at the next Book Club Battle on Thursday February 6. The February event sees local authors and curators of Noir At The Bar Luke Deckard and Heather Critchlow take the reins.
Tickets for this and other events at The Pioneer Club are on sale now via tickets.pioneerclub.co.uk
