Barewall Art Gallery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, is delighted to announce the forthcoming launch event of ‘Tunstall Tortillas’, a new documentary photobook by Stoke-on-Trent–born award-winning photographer David Fletcher, celebrating the unique cultural and culinary heritage of the city’s oatcake shops.
Created over two years since 2023 and completed during Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary year, Tunstall Tortillas is both a celebration and a timely record of a unique and much loved local food craft. Fletcher photographed oatcake shops, their owners and customers across the city – from long-standing family businesses to new entrepreneurial ventures – capturing not only the artisans and their workplaces, but also the vibrant communities that surround them.
What began as a journey to document the remaining oatcake shops quickly evolved into a portrait of a living, thriving local culture at the heart of North Staffordshire identity. The name of the book ‘Tunstall Tortillas’ is inspired by the poem ‘Ode to the Oatcake’, written by one of North Staffordshire’s finest 20th century artists, Arthur Berry, also poet and playwright, whose centenary is also being celebrated this year.
Photographer David Fletcher said:
“Being born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, oatcakes were simply part of everyday life. It wasn’t until I moved away that I realised how unique they were – and how impossible they are to find anywhere else. That absence made me appreciate just how extraordinary our oatcake shops are. I wanted to document them before any more disappeared, and so over 2 years I set out to document what I found.
What I expected to be a record of a fading industry turned into something far more uplifting. I discovered a vibrant, thriving community full of life, humour and pride – a real beacon of hope for Stoke-on-Trent. It was inspiring to see young entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds joining the trade, as well as long-established family businesses still going strong.
In the end, the project became less about the shop buildings and more about the people, their stories, and the communities that keep this unique tradition alive. The centenary year of Stoke-on-Trent felt like the perfect moment to share this important local story.”
Celebrating a Living Tradition
Despite modernisation across the food trade, Stoke-on-Trent’s oatcake makers remain deeply rooted in hand-crafted methods. Shop owners featured in the book, Tunstall Tortillas, welcomed the chance to see their craft documented for future generations.
Paul Smith of Bucknall Oatcakes (pictured on the front cover of book) said:
“I’ve owned Bucknall Oatcakes for 15 years – just a small part of its incredible 83-year history. We’re proud to still use the original recipe, cooked on the original stoves, and hand-poured in the traditional (and proper!) way.
Even though we’re not Bucknall born and bred, this little shop has put us right at the heart of the community, who welcomed us from day one.
It’s been a real pleasure welcoming David to our shop. His interest and dedication for oatcakes and the craft behind them is something to behold, and you don’t often see that level of enthusiasm at 1am on a Friday morning!”
Dawn Marsh, May n Mar Laydezz Oatcakes, Tunstall, said:
“Being featured in the book is amazing. Whenever someone tells me they’re new to oatcakes, I love giving them a bit of the history. They started out like rock cakes for men working the pottery barges, then became thinner like chapattis after the war. Up in the Peaks they’re thicker and sweeter! Oatcake-making is sadly becoming a dying art as machines take over, but a few of us still hand-pour the traditional way. I always say if you find a perfectly round one, you’re very lucky.”
Andy & Jana Wilton, Oatbakers, said:
“We love the Tunstall Tortillas project. Photographing the remaining oatcake shops across Stoke-on-Trent is a brilliant way to record a moment in oatcake history, and we’re grateful to be part of it.”
David Fletcher is an award-winning photographer based in the New Forest National Park in the UK.
For further information about David and the project, please visit his website: https://www.davidfletcherphoto.com/oatcakes. David’s favourite oatcake filling is cheese with bacon.
Book Launch & Signing Event (with a festive feel) – Saturday 6th December, 11am–4pm. Venue: Barewall Art Gallery, 2-4 Market Place, Burslem, ST6 4AT
Visitors are invited to the book launch celebration featuring:
- Welcome drinks for attendees
- Meet & greet with photographer David Fletcher
- Signed book collections and purchases throughout the day
- Live performances by poet Nick Degg, including Oatcake Man and Arthur Berry’s Ode to Oatcake from midday
- Christmas gifts and local makers, including local illustrator Kidda Kinsey and Moorland Pottery oatcake-themed items
- Photograph opportunity with some of Stoke-on-Trent’s oatcake shop owners from 3pm to 5pm
Amanda Bromley, director of Barewall Art Gallery said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to be launching David’s book here at Barewall. His photography captures the life and character behind Stoke-on-Trent’s oatcake shops, and it’s a perfect fit for the city’s centenary year. Visitors joining us for the launch can also explore our ‘A Sense of Place’ Arthur Berry exhibition and browse a wonderful selection of locally connected Christmas gifts — it’s a great opportunity to celebrate our culture and support local makers.”
Barewall Art Gallery is an independent gallery based in Market Place Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent – the heart of the Potteries and one of the city’s historic six towns. The gallery specialises in Potteries and Northern art, with a strong focus on artists connected to the region and the Burslem School of Art, including Arthur Berry, Gorson Forsyth, Enos Lovatt, Hack Simcock, Muriel Pemberton.
The softback book ‘Tunstall Tortillas’ can be pre-ordered or bought on the day to be signed.
To pre-order for £20.00:
https://www.barewall.co.uk/products/tunstall-tortillas-oatcake-shop-photobook-by-stoke-on-trent-born-photographer-david-fletcher
The first edition softback book of 80 pages (240x240mm) will be £25.00 after the official launch on 6th December.
