Picturing High Streets was a three-year project delivered by Photoworks to create a contemporary picture of England’s high streets through artist residencies and a public call out. It was part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones Cultural Programme, and produced in partnership with GRAIN Projects, Impressions Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, London College of Communications, Photofusion, QUAD/FORMAT, Redeye, ReFramed and The Photographers’ Gallery.
From September 2022 to September 2023, people across England responded to themed fortnightly challenges and submitted their photographs on Instagram under the hashtag #PicturingHighStreets. All entries created an unofficial archive documenting a year in the life of the English high street on Instagram, and a selection form this permanent collection in the Historic England Archive.
This photograph was selected to represent the theme ‘High Street Eats’. The brief for this theme was: ‘From chip shops to chai stops, high streets play host to some of our most treasured places to eat. Whatever your favourite food, these photographs show how high streets bring different cuisines, cultures and communities together’.
The photographer wrote the following text to explain how their image relates to this theme: "This Snack Bar on my local High Street caught my attention. I managed to photograph this customer as he studied the menu. His concentration in the sunlight with his shadow, the dominance of the strong red shop signage and the neon window sign was an image needing to be captured."
This is part of the Volume: HEC01/128/02/01 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project - High Street Eats; within the Sub Series: HEC01/128/02 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project; within the Series: HEC01/128 Picturing High Streets; within the Collection: HEC01 Historic England
© Craig Bascombe
Photographer: Bascombe, Craig
21st Century Cafe, Terraced House, Food And Drink, People
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