Sam Wright's highly effective Lockdown collection celebrates London's iconic eating places
It was an extremely difficult year for the UK restaurant scene. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics suggest the hospitality industry is the hardest hit industry across the country.
As an industry full of problem solvers, many restaurant owners have found creative ways to reach hungry customers at home. However, the pandemic poses a threat to their very existence, especially for small businesses and family businesses.
Chadrack, Paradise Fish Bar
It was the struggles of these smaller companies that inspired photographer Sam Wright to shed light on the capital's normally thriving independent food scene in the new Local London series. "Local businesses are part of what makes our cities unique, so I wanted to highlight some of the best restaurants in London that have been hit hard by months of shutdown," he says.
"I wanted to remind people of the importance of our independent highways and the importance of supporting them so that hopefully we can avoid highways that are dominated by large corporate chains once we are out of the pandemic."
Born in Sheffield, Wright first discovered a passion for portrait photography when he took his camera to punk performances in pub basements in and around his hometown. Whether he's shooting a personal series or a commercial project, he's got a knack for capturing honest moments in staged environments.
The series was recently featured by the arts and culture magazine The Gourmand and filmed before Christmas during the little window of Tier 2 restrictions in the UK capital. It focuses on independent restaurants that offer something unique to the city and its local communities.
Colin, Regency Cafe
“Sweetings is one of the oldest seafood restaurants (in London) that survived two world wars and is still in business. Paradise Fish Bar is an independent chip shop in East London that offers affordable, high quality food to all walks of life. Regency Café is probably the coolest place I've had french fries. (And) The India Club is one of the oldest Indian restaurants in London and still one of the best, ”says Wright.
"All of these attributes contributed to how I chose each location and why they would be missed if they didn't survive the pandemic. Fortunately, everyone was very happy to be involved in the project."
Maureen, candy
To illustrate the unique character of each restaurant, Wright and his team cast and styled models to represent what the archetypal customer might look like, resulting in slightly elevated versions of comfortably familiar scenes.
“I wanted to capture the essence and atmosphere of each place through portraits and give the viewer the opportunity to create their own narrative for each place, something they can believe in,” he says.
Sweets
"As a lot of people understand the difficulties restaurants face, there is a sense of melancholy throughout the series, but hopefully people can see the bright side that we can visit these places in the not too distant future."
With the UK government's announcement of a preliminary roadmap to normalcy that will give both restaurant owners and visitors a glimmer of hope, Wright is optimistic that the series will lead a life beyond borders.
Ramzan, the India Club
“The dream would be to exhibit the pictures in one of the restaurants once the pandemic has subsided. Not just to show the work, but to give people the opportunity to experience what makes the places so special, ”he says. "Let's keep our fingers crossed and see what happens in the next few months!"
samwrightphoto.com