Name: Mark Hewitt
Profession: Artistic Director of Lewes Live Literature Festival (starting next week); literary consultant and events organiser; I do a bit of writing mainly for theatre and performance.
Are you local: if not how long have you been here? We moved to Lewes in 1991, having lived in Brighton for a while. I was born in Nuneaton - both my parents come from mining families.
Best thing about Lewes? Its cosiness, I suppose. It’s always seemed earthy and friendly. I like the ivy and the old walls. I like having hills around. I like the pubby pubs.
Worst thing about Lewes? A lot of inevitable things about my work. There’s no proper theatre or box-office. Sometimes Lewes seems quite bright and forward-thinking, and at others it seems quite primeval and backward and lacking in facilities. Though that’s quite endearing in another way.
Favourite pub? I started going to the Lewes Arms before I moved to Lewes. It’s been through a lot of phases and not all of them have been fantastic, but generally I feel drawn to the place. It’s got such a good vibe. That’s why I like drinking Harveys here: it wouldn’t be the same going somewhere else to have a pint of Harveys.
What’s your poison? Instead of Harveys, I drink red wine at home, and occasionally whisky late at night with friends.
Which Bonfire Society do you go to? All my family are members of Commercial Square so that’s where I go; I never signed up because I’m not a joiner-inner. It always seems to go up last: it’s like when you’re young and you’re waiting for ages for the main band to come on, and it starts to get a bit rowdy. You’re there listening to some clergyman droning on, waiting for the fireworks.