Originally founded in 1951 as the Photo-News Service, the Photo Centre in Berwick was a staple of town life for over 65 years as a family-run press agency and photo studio.

Their premises at 17 Bridge Street had a well-equipped studio above the shop where commercial photography took place. The business also covered newsworthy events in the area and recorded family occasions and celebrations, marking milestones in the lives of several generations of townspeople. 

This collection of photographs depicts the interiors of several shops in Berwick during the late-1950s to mid-1960s.

The first photograph (BRO 1944/1/3435/14) of Paxton & Purves, drapers was taken on 7th April 1962. The shop had operated on these premises near Scotsgate since the 1880s. This photograph shows the ladies gown department. Customers who had an account with the shop could take articles home “on appro”. 

The second photograph (BRO 1944/1/4658/11), taken in 1966 shows Stoddart’s at the corner of Marygate and Golden Square. Stoddart’s, an old-established business in Berwick was founded in 1834 and specialised in high-class groceries, local produce, wines, and spirits. The shop’s layout in this photograph reflects the change in shopping habits that came with refrigerated goods and self-service. The shop closed in 1988. 

The third photograph (BRO 1944/1/3435/7) also shows Paxton & Purves and was taken on 7th April 1962. The business operated from several shops and the middle one sold clothing, drapery, and fancy goods. The layout of the shop remained largely unchanged since the 1890s 

The final photograph (BRO 1944/1/2072/14), taken in August 1958 shows Towers & Bishop, a confectioners and sweet shop on Marygate. The shop was founded in 1867 by Mr John Bishop and it both manufactured and sold sweets. The shop stopped trading in the 1960s.  

Today, most people shop at supermarkets where they expect to buy groceries, clothes and newspapers or books in the one shop or go to out of town retail sites. However, it was very different in the past with most people shopping in a high street location. Up until the mid to late 1960s shopping in Berwick was a very different experience to today. Very few shops were run by national chains.  Although there were branches of Woolworths and Boots, most businesses were independent shops run by local people.

A walk down Marygate in the late 1950s would have taken you past butchers; fishmongers, bakers; jewellers; grocers; chemists; clothes and shoe shops; local department and furniture stores. Everything could be bought there but in individual shops. This started to change in the 1960s with the advent of supermarkets and larger national chain stores. Shopping facades were modernised and many of the original buildings were pulled down to build larger, modern looking shops for Boots and the Co-op. Today Marygate in Berwick looks very different – very few independent businesses but lots of national chains, coffee shops, charity shops and empty premises.  

Interior architecture photography, sometimes known as interior photography or interior design photography, is the practice of photographing indoor spaces. Images can focus on capturing the insides of buildings and structures on a large scale; specific areas such as the renderings of a staircase; or focusing on the décor or furniture within the space.

Interior architecture photography is important for brand building, design showcasing, and advertising. It can be used to illustrate interior designs, for example by being showcased in design magazines; to promote or advertise a business or brand, for example the work of an architect or furniture designer; to advertise a space, for example a hotel, restaurant, or retail establishment; and is also used for the purposes of selling spaces, for example images used by estate agents.