Easter fun day to celebrate as Photocraft is still alive and clicking in Hampstead after 50 years
Keith Wynn chatting to MP Bob Neill during a visit to Photocraft in 2012 - Credit: Nigel Sutton
Hampstead’s photo shop to the stars is celebrating its 50th year in the village with an Easter day of fun tomorrow.
Photocraft pictured back in the day - Credit: Archant
Owner Keith Wynn is inviting families into Photocraft in Heath Street to enjoy a creme egg lucky dip and giant Easter Egg Raffle. They can also pick up vouchers for ten free photo prints.
Mr Wynn started as an assistant at the age of 16 when the store opened during Easter 1965 and he is a stalwart of the Hampstead community. He has seen hundreds of celebrity customers and generations of families come through his doors in that time and now owns the store, after taking it over in 1981 on the retirement of its founder Gerhard Cohn.
In 50 years he has seen Hampstead change from a bohemian centre full of artists, actors and musicians to one of the most expensive postcodes in London.
He has had lots of famous customers over the years but treats them like any of his regular customers and his shop is still a place where local people pop in for a cup of tea and a chat.
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In 50 years photography has changed from traditional handproduced black and white photographs developed in dark rooms to machine produced colour photos to digital.
Mr Wynn says the secret to his survival is to adapt to the modern technology and digital age while keeping the traditional nature of the shop with its old-fashioned customer service,
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He said: “We know all our customers by name and we give them a one to one service.”
Keith, who has two daughters and five grandchildren, is now photographing the children and grandchildren of people he has know for 50 years.
As well as the latest technology, the shop still sells traditional and second hand equipment.
Mr Wynn’s family will be in the store on Saturday, which will be open from 9am to 5:30pm and filled with golden balloons and a giant Easter Egg.
All proceeds from the raffle will go the the charity Unique which researches and provides support for people affected by chromosome disorders.
