Richard Booth, King of Independent Hay

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“Policies, not politicians”
   

Richard Booth, b. 1938, d. 2019 was an entrepreneur, scholar and iconoclast; in 1976, dissatisfied with local government, he declared himself King of Hay-on-Wye, a small market town on the Welsh borders,

Over several decades his dynamic book dealing, combined with renowned publicity stunts, turned his kingdom into a world famous ‘Town of Books’. In the 21st century this has become a model for rural regeneration that has been copied throughout the world. 

Still a radical as he approached his final years year, he honed his rural philosophies born from 50 years of international book dealing.

"We may be right. We may be wrong, but we do want democracy". Richard Booth

The official website of
King Richard of Hay-on-Wye, The World's first Book Town.

King Richard in 1979 with the creator of his newly made crown jewels, Reg Clark, Minister of Technology on the right.

"The class war has been replaced by the war against the officials.”

The Hay Flag