In 2020, longtime friends Tina and Marilyn sat down for very different lunches at Sunshine Café on East Street in Bedminster. Sausage and mash for the former, an ice cream sundae for the latter.
When local street photographer Pitlad strolled in, the pair readily posed for a snap. “I didn’t fancy mains, see,” Tina explained. “I’m having a long sausage!” Marilyn cheekily chimed in, giving everyone the giggles.
The resulting photo, which was reproduced on the cover of our latest issue, would go on to be his best seller – and hangs proudly in the cafe. It’s a memory made more precious since Marilyn’s passing, and Tina’s battle with dementia.
Since 2018, Pitlad has been documenting the area in his signature style: “reality in all its messy glory”. At the time, he lived in Bedminster, at the intersection of two high streets—and two versions of the city.
“I could go left to North Street or right down East Street. And I always went right cus coffee was £1.50 instead of a fiver!” he recalls.
Bristol’s second-largest high street, East Street, has faced decline, its shuttered shops reflecting its neglect. But proposed developments of the area are met wearily by some, fearing a sleigh ride into becoming its gentrified neighbour.
Amid this uncertain future, Pitlad views East Street through a nostalgic lens. “There’s a working-class environment, from when tobacco factories were here. It reminds me of the village I grew up in – there’s a real sense of community and people look out for each other.”
Over the years, Pitlad has built connections with locals, including ‘Six Sugar Joan’, Diane, who sang old classics and gave him Lockets when he had a cold, and numerous other old ladies he says “remind me of my nan”. His photography, he says, shifted from “walk-by” snaps to a long-term, relational approach. “I was humbled by it,” he says.
Pitlad’s work on East Street captures a city that in many different ways is fading from view. “East Street is the oldest town in Bristol,” he says.
Correction: In our 39th print edition, we wrote that Tina, pictured at the top of the page, had passed away. This was incorrect. It was her friend Marilyn who had passed away. We apologise for this mistake.
