‘The northern café is where character and back street charm beats the Cappuccino and Choco-latte any day.’ - Paula Keenan

Wigan Food and Drink festival commisioned documentry photographer Paula Keenan to take photos of Wigan Borough cafe life. (website)






‘I want to capture the people and character both sides of the counter. I want to find images which celebrate the warmth, humour and northern hospitality that exists in what are unique and proud establishments’, said Paula.

‘I have found at the very start of my work with this project, that cafés are more than the place for that quick cuppa. They are a wonderful and a relied upon community resource. People need cafés as much as the cafés need the people and I want to try and capture that connection’.

The photos on the website are really good and are the kind of feel that I want to get across in mine. Shes had to interact with the staff and customers in order to achieve such images.