Exhibition Preview: Corner Shop

During the 1970s and 1980s, photographer Bill Kirk worked on a project to record the many corner shops that peppered the terraced streets of Belfast and his hometown of Newtownards.

It was a time when independent, family-run businesses were the life and soul of every community.

They provided employment, a meeting place for locals and sold everything from meat and baps to newspapers and shoes.

But since the advent of out-of-town shopping centres and re-development, the corner shop has all but disappeared from our landscape.

Across a selection of 40 images Kirk beautifully captures the essence of the long lost 'wee shop'.

Corner Shop opens on August 6 at the Red Barn Gallery, Belfast, running from 6 - 9pm as part of Late Night Art.