PRINTSLINGER:
MEET THE TEAM

KERRY O’NEILL

I’m a Jill of all trades but a writer first and foremost. I’ve strayed into marketing and project management here at Printslinger, a Bristol-based independent publishing house. I had an interview in 2021 to write the fourth edition of The Extra Mile: Delicious Alternatives to Motorway Services, following an unexpected chat at a Cornish Pilot Gig regatta. An intense year on the road followed, to create a guide that became an online No #1 bestseller and No #1 most gifted book, and now I’m co-running the company. Progress is fast here! My favourite farm shops are those where the waft of a freshly baked quiche welcomes you in, and where the cakes are handmade not homogenous. A VW T25 campervan owner for 15 years (until 2022, boo), I also love exploring coastlines, seeking out secret seaside spots and coming back to tell people all about them. So I’m stoked to be leading on 2024’s new Coastal Café Guide, while Eleanor takes the reins on our new kid on the block: The Farm Shop Guide.

ALASTAIR SAWDAY

Alastair founded Printslinger, the publishing company behind bestselling food guide The Extra Mile. A man of many talents (and with an aversion to dangling modifiers), Alastair also founded and ran Sawday’s Special Places to Stay. For decades, this award-winning travel company published guidebooks to cosy and personable places to stay; Sawday’s wonderful collections can now be found online rather than in print. In a characteristically generous move, Alastair recently sold Sawday’s to its staff, retaining Printslinger so that a new generation of writers can create beautiful books that promote slow food and smaller, sustainable businesses. Alastair has given the team almost free rein to make good and worthwhile books. The odd tug on the editorial bit keeps hyperbole and the direction of travel in check.

LAURA COLLACOTT

I’m a wordsmith and have strung words together for magazines, newspapers, reports, books and websites around the world. I started The Extra Mile in 2016 after a chance meeting with Alastair Sawday, one of Britain's most respected travel publishers. What started as a kitchen table enterprise is blooming into a brilliant collection of books with the same ethos of celebrating fabulous, local and considerate food businesses across the country. I have eaten a lot of scotch eggs and brownies to uncover the UK’s finest. You. are. welcome. As a dog owner and outdoors enthusiast, I love a muddy walk across the fields, and nothing beats a finale in a farm shop with a warming bowl of soup and raid of the cheese counter. I believe the food system is a powerful tool for taking care of our planet, so provenance, seasonality and carefully grown and reared food really matter to me. Strawberries from the field in high summer? Golden yolked eggs from the farmyard? Yes please.

OBI (Ele’s)

I LOVE the beach… rubbing my face in the sand and playing chicken with the waves. I like to get my paws wet and keep the belly dry, until my crazy human goes in deep and then I have to fetch her back. She needs work on her recall (sometimes I really have to shout at her to come back). When I meet other dogs on the beach we zoom up and down really fast. Then my humans kindly show me the best place to dig by laying down a big beach towel! Once I’m done with the all-important running and digging, I like to chill out under a parasol before we hit up the cafés. Oh boy, I’ve tried some delicious treats, let me tell you. My favourite is ice cream. They did try to paw me off with some ‘doggy ice cream’ once, but I wasn’t falling for that and they haven’t made that mistake again (I’m still training them, they’re a bit slow but they’ll get there).

ELEANOR WEEKS-BELL

My background is in business development and bid management for environmental charities. I used to work with Kerry at Sustrans and when the opportunity popped up to work with her on The Extra Mile, I jumped at it. My favourite beach is my childhood haunt, Three Cliffs (Gower) for its unspoilt vistas, castle ruins and magical night swims in bioluminescence. Legend has it that the castle, once owned by a ruthless Baron, was destroyed by a storm sent by mischievous faeries after the Baron stopped them dancing at his wedding! I love a bracing cold water dip to clear the head, and watching my dog roll in the sand like a puppy. Another favourite is Porthleven, where the Mussel Shoal, in the harbour wall, serves up incredible fresh seafood and banging cocktails. Next up on my hit list is the Hidden Hut, Porthcurnick Beach: an alfresco foodie experience with a star-studded following.

SUKI (Laura’s)

The beach is my happy place, especially with a tennis ball in-mouth. Oh, except for that time I fell in the boating lake at Weston-super-Mare, mistaking the glassy water for a solid surface. Most of the time though, I love gambolling about, chasing rabbit scents in the dunes and digging important holes for my tennis ball. I’m not that keen on swimming, but I do keep a close eye on my human when she goes in for a dip and play in the waves while I wait: they’re brilliant – bring your ball right back to you. Both of us enjoy long walks along the coast path and we once saw a fluffy white seal in a cove below the track. Best of all though are the cafés we visit to refuel afterwards. I’m quite partial to a bit of fish or a doggy ice cream on a hot day. I'm looking forward to sharing my favourite finds with fellow furry friends. 

TESHIA MILLER

BOXING, STRENGTH TRAINING