English writer and journalist of the Victorian era
The Rules restaurant in Covent Garden has donated its 34-35 Maiden Lane building to the National Trust for £11m, securing the site’s future as a living heritage site. The restaurant will continue trading as a commercial tenant, with rent supporting conservation; the deal preserves the historic interior and collections and marks the Trust’s first entry into restaurant ownership.
A BBC-led film and accompanying stories showcase how reading transforms lives, from Omar’s escape in Feltham prison with Jack Higgins to Camilla’s reflections on literature shaping her education and the monarch’s public image.