Wigan artist follows in George Orwell's steps with new book

The 100-page ‘All roads lead to Wigan Pier’ is about Wiganer and artist Timothy Foster’s hometown, some 80 years after George Orwell walked its streets.

With an introduction written by George Orwell’s son - the book blends the past and the present with quotes from George’s astounding book, ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’, and personal encounters with the artist that are often funny, reverent and energising.

The book sees Timothy make his own journey from London back to Wigan to roam the places of his youth.

Pictures in the book are mainly of people in Wigan and Leigh, and feature areas including Higher Folds, Beech Hill, Scholes, Shevington and Hindley.

Pictures include of Gay Pride Wigan, a woman called Eli Sweeping the pavement at the front of her house and of two lads looking for 20p for chips.

His book also aims to challenge some of Orwell’s observations of the region and its traditional working class lifestyle and bleak living conditons. Timothy said that in many ways the town had changed for the better over the years.

Timothy, who lived in Appley Bridge but now lives in London, said: “The book is humorous but it’s designed to challenge some of Orwell’s observations of Wigan and document what Wigan is like as a town now.

“Wigan in many ways has changed for the better with developments such as Wigan Pier going on.”

He will be launching a Kickstarter for the book onthis weekend, which he is currently trying to make but which has exhibited in the Turnpike and Trencherfield Mill and was also put on billboards around Wigan.