The location is the hero in these films
By Kate Simon
It’s not only the British film industry that is waiting with bated breath to hear the denouement of Donald Trump’s drama about foreign film tariffs, the UK’s tourism sector is hoping for a happy ending, too.
That’s because set-jetting – visiting film (and TV) locations – is an increasingly influential reason to travel, said to be worth around £900m a year to the British economy. More lucrative still, it is particularly popular with younger generations.
In fact, this year Visit Britain has launched a dedicated campaign titled Starring GREAT Britain (did you need the capitals to see what they did there?), aiming to “drive inbound tourism across the nations and regions”. It seems nine in 10 potential visitors to the UK have indicated an interest in visiting film and TV locations here. And seven in 10 of us who live here have, in the past decade, sought out the setting of a film or TV show shot in our own backyard.
There’s nothing new about the concept. Back in the 1980s, the comedy-drama Local Hero, about a US energy company’s attempt to buy a Scottish village, was tempting Americans to Pennan in Aberdeenshire (pictured) to see the famous red phone box from where Mac calls his boss in Houston. Oh, they also came for the stunning scenery, of course.
Harry Potter (Alnwick Castle, Glenfinnan Viaduct and more), Notting Hill and Paddington (London’s Portobello Road), The Favourite (Hatfield House), The Da Vinci Code (Belvoir Castle), Spiderman: Far From Home (Tower Bridge, London) – the list of tempting locations continues to grow.
Britain is increasingly popular as a setting for the small screen, too. Birmingham is synonymous with Peaky Blinders, Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) featured in His Dark Materials, and Ilkley Moor in The Witcher. Unsurprisingly, few historic corners of the nation have been untouched by Bridgerton and The Crown, from the Royal Crescent in Bath to Winchester Cathedral.
This year, keep your eyes open for Robert Downey Jr, Paul Rudd and Ian McKellen, who will be filming Avengers: Doomsday, the fifth instalment of the superhero franchise, in London. You might bump into Timothy Spall and Jennifer Saunders in Newcastle, where they’ll be shooting an adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day.
To make it easy for us to follow in the footsteps of our favourite characters and actors, Visit Britain has created several free, ready-made itineraries themed on film genres, from family friendly to action and adventure. Usefully, these reveal not only where to go but how to get between locations efficiently.
While casting about for filming locations in Britain, I inadvertently came across a very different kind of cinematic map of the country by the British Film Institute. Britain on Film: Our Lives Our Stories is an archive of thousands of amateur films dating from the 1890s to the present day, each plotted on a map to show where it was filmed or found.
From Eisteddfods to seaside holidays, steam train rides to countryside hikes, this treasure map reveals customs, celebrations, traditions and events across the nation, some of which still take place today. They won’t win any Oscars but they make great viewing and might inspire your travels.
Phil’s Beer Notes
Arguably the pub that has most often welcomed the cameras to its bar is the Golden Lion in Port Isaac on Cornwall’s north coast, where they gathered to sing their shanties for not one but two Fisherman’s Friends films. The picturesque spot has also staged episodes of Doc Martin and Saving Grace. The pub is owned by St Austell Brewery, so expect Tribute and Proper Job on the bar, alongside local favourite Hick’s and craft beers from Harbour.
Making the most of its appearance in Trainspotting, The Brewhaus is in Glasgow, not Edinburgh, where the film is set. It has changed a lot since those days, and now serves a range of craft beers.
Some pubs are just made to be sets, and the curious and quirky 16th-Century Ye Olde Mitre, hidden down an alley in London’s Holborn, actively solicits filmmakers at weekends when, like other pubs around there, it’s closed. It’s best known, perhaps, for appearing in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, and you can find well-kept Fuller’s ales on the bar.
Photo: "Where's the local hero?" by Simaron is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.