A FORMER Malvern restaurateur is catering for the great and the good at the Hay Literary Festival this week.

Helen I'Anson, who with her husband used to run Pepper and Oz in Abbey Road, is operating the kitchen at Merry-weathers Cafe, a venue specially created for the festival.

Set in the town's Masonic Hall, the cafe opened its doors yesterday (Thursday) and will remain open until the festival ends on June 4.

"Gordon Brown will be there and John Major, with his new book about cricket, so who knows who I'll see in the cafe," said Mrs I'Anson.

Also appearing at the festival are Sebastian Faulks, Ian Rankin, Bob Geldof, Clive James and Iain Banks.

Mrs I'Anson hope she might make contacts in the literary world herself. "I'm in the process of writing a book, autobiographical with recipes," she said. "I hope I'll get the chance to put it under someone's nose."