ABSTRACT
The introduction sets out the background to the study and its origins in the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic that swept the UK in various waves during 2020 and 2021. It outlines some of the unique and specific challenges faced by literary heritage sites – many of which were too small for effective social distancing. It explains that the most common forms of interpretation in these sites (guides, room stewards, handheld devices) became impracticable, and that visitor patterns for these sites, which often attract long-distance travellers, made them especially vulnerable to travel restrictions. Besides contextualizing the problems posed by the pandemic for the literary heritage sector, the section also situates this study in relation to other recent research into literary tourism.
