Lewis's Fifth Floor: A Department Store
This brand new exhibition of photography taken in Lewis's, one of the UK's oldest and most iconic department stores, reveals a world that has been hidden since the early 1980s.
The fifth floor, with its hair salon, cafeteria and restaurants, was the epitome of style in the 1950s. Three decades later the entire floor closed to the public and it has been used for storage since then. Local photographer Stephen King has beautifully captured the faded glamour of this lost world, including many of the original features.
Now largely empty, the floor was once a bustling hive of activity. In addition to stunning views of the interiors, the exhibition includes a series of portraits of current and ex-employees in their original place of work, with reminiscences of life at Lewis's during that era. Their presence injects life into the spectral setting of the now deserted floor.
Also included in the exhibition is an artist documentary filmed and produced by Jacqueline Passmore. The film examines the impact of Lewis's heyday through interviews with staff from the fifth floor.
The exhibition has been developed by Neutral Spoon art project management, supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England.
The Exhibition is open Daily including Bank Holidays from 10am till 5pm from 26th February 2010 till 30th August 2010. Entrance is FREE