A new series of photos is shining a light on the people who make Wainwright’s Yard in Kendal a welcoming place to shop, eat, and connect.

A professional photographer has captured portraits featuring staff and owners from eight businesses in the award-winning shopping destination owned by the Preston based Eric Wright Group.

The images showcase the personality, diversity, and character of Wainwright’s Yard, and highlight the warmth and friendliness that are part of the visitor experience.

The portraits include staff at Pizza Express and Booths supermarket, alongside staff and owners of independent businesses. That includes the husband and wife team at Armstrong Ward who have, like Booths, been trading in the Yard since its development was completed in 2005.

There are also photos of staff from two other independent stores, Another Weigh and Mango & Malt, opened by community leaders. Lib Dem MP Tim Farron for Another Weigh in April 2021 and Heron Hill care home manager Nicola Spedding for Mango & Malt this April. The Asian grocery store, is the Yard’s newest tenant. Staff were also photographed at Elsewhere Bar and Lakeland Kitchens.

Wainwright’s Yard is also home to two important community and volunteer-run charities, Lions Bookstore and South Lakes Citizens Advice and it’s the home of local paper, the Westmorland Gazette.

The portfolio of photograph will be used in a promotional campaign celebrating “the faces behind the businesses,” and reinforcing the Yard’s reputation for high-quality retail and dining, and genuine hospitality and community spirit.

Previously known as Yard 28, the site was renamed Wainwright’s Yard in honour of Alfred Wainwright (1907–1991), the former Kendal Borough Treasurer and celebrated author of the hand-drawn Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, beloved by walkers and visitors worldwide.

This new photographic project captures more than just portraits—it tells the story of a thriving retail destination powered by passion, personality, and community pride.