Book a free desk here!

Book a free writing desk in our Attic Studio and take some time to focus on your work, whether it be a short story, coursework or your memoirs. You are guaranteed a changing view across the Estuary and the grounds of Chalkwell Park, along with some space to think. 

The desks are accessible via lift from our ground floor and there are bathrooms on all floors. Chalkwell Hall has a ramp at the front entrance. There is a free car park on site, which is open 24/7. 

There are three desks available per day – we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. If you miss out, please check back regularly here on Eventbrite for cancellations. 

Please note – we are restricting bookings to a maximum of two days per writer, to ensure that the opportunity is afforded to as many writers as possible! 

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This year, our desks are named after brilliant and multi-talented contemporary writers who hail from Essex. Tovey, Tandoh and Morgan have taken interesting routes to the literary world, resulting in careers as authors, hosts and journalists which land them in the Top 10 Sunday Times Bestsellers and Forbes 30 Under 30 lists. You might also recognize them from your television sets.

The Tovey Desk 

Russell Tovey is an actor, screenwriter, author and art collector, originally from Billericay. On screen, he is best-known for appearing in The History Boys, Years and Years, Being Human, The Good Liar and American Horror Story. He also returned to his Billericay roots to play Budgie in hit show Gavin & Stacey. 

Russell co-hosts the hit podcast Talk Art with gallerist Robert Diament, and together they wrote the Sunday Times Bestseller Talk Art : Everything you wanted to know about contemporary art but were afraid to ask. Their new book, Talk Art : The Interviews is released in May this year. He was a judge for the prestigious Turner Prize in 2021.

The Tandoh Desk 

Ruby Tandoh is a food writer and author, originally from Southend on Sea. She was a finalist on the Great British Bake Off in 2013, and has been writing, making and working in food ever since. She is a recipe columnist, cookbook author and food writer, a well as remaining an active food and pastry chef. 

Ruby has written for The New Yorker, The Guardian, Vice, Taste, Eater, Vittles and more. Her books include Cook As You Are: Recipes for Real Life, Hungry Cooks and Messy Kitchens, Cook As You Are: the easy-read version, Breaking Eggs: An Audio Guide to Baking and Top 10 Sunday Times Bestseller Eat Up!: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want.

The Morgan Desk 

Jessica Morgan is a British NCTJ-accredited journalist, Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 candidate, writer, editor, broadcaster, speaker and brand consultant originally from Southend-on-Sea. Currently living in Dubai, Jessica is Assistant National Editor for the National News. Previously, she was Editor for Time Out Abu Dhabi, Deputy Editor of The Face magazine and staff writer for Refinery29. She was shortlisted for the New Journalist of the Year at the British Journalism Awards in 2020, aged 26. 

Jessica’s freelance work covers breaking news, current affairs, women’s issues, sustainability, entertainment, beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories and has been featured in The Times, Grazia, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Independent, Evening Standard, Black Ballad, gal-dem, Soho House, Timeout London, Stylist and Red magazine.