The Whitbread Awards

The Whitbread Awards, now known as the Costa Book Awards, are prestigious literary prizes given annually in the UK to celebrate outstanding books across five categories: Fiction, First Novel, Poetry, Children’s Book, and Biography. Established in 1971, they aim to recognize excellence in British and Irish writing. The awards often boost authors’ visibility and sales, celebrating creative storytelling and literary achievement in a variety of genres. In 2011, the sponsorship changed from Whitbread to Costa Coffee, but the awards continue to honor high-quality British and Irish literature.