After the Whitbread Brewery decided to bail out on its eponymous awards following 34 years of sponsorship, Costa Coffee Company stepped in to fill the void – and so the Costa Book Awards begins. The Guardian reports that the deal, thought to be worth at least £1m in prize money, banqueting, hospitality and organizing costs, was announced yesterday, and the awards ceremony will be held in January. The coffee chain didn’t say how long they were committing to but the Bookseller reports that they insisted it would be “a long term strategy.”
John Derkach, m.d. of Costa, said: “This is the perfect match for the Costa brand as there is a very natural association between books and reading and the UK’s growing coffee culture. We have always offered readers the chance to take time out� to� enjoy both these pleasures in our stores–many of which are located in bookshops.”
The awards format will stay the same, with First Novel, Novel, Biography, Children’s Book and Poetry Categories. The total prize fund stays at £50,000, with the overall winner receiving £25,000. The awards ceremony will be hosted at a new central London venue in January 2007. The BA will continue to handle administration; closing date for entries is June 28th.