Chester Charms Film and TV Producers

THE historic, medieval city of Chester has always been a firm favourite with tourists, but now it’s starting to catch the attention of a whole new army of fans - film and TV producers.

Over the last 18 months Cheshire has seen a massive 49% increase in the number of filming days taking place, and often its Chester which is top of their list of locations.

Interest in the area has been so marked, that Chester has now been named July’s Location of the Month by Northwest Vision + Media, which works on behalf of the TV, film, radio and digital content industries.

Emma Welland runs Northwest Vision + Media’s Cheshire and Warrington Film Office. She’s only been in her job for 18 months, but already she’s established the Film Office as a one-stop-shop for all potential productions.

“I’ve worked hard to get the word out that I’m here, and that I’m ready to assist with any kind of filming enquiry, from location sourcing to pinning down a particular permit or finding the perfect crew member,” explains Emma.

Her hard work is paying off. In all, 52 productions came to Cheshire over the last 12 months, with over 50% of all Film Office enquiries leading to production companies finding locations in the area. In turn, that helped to generate £3.3 million worth of inward investment directly into the Cheshire and Warrington economy.

Of all the inquiries Emma receives, Chester continues to prove a firm favourite, as production companies look to make the most of its unique charm. Indeed, as a direct result of film and television production, Chester has seen over £1 million worth of inward investment since 2006.

With stunning architecture, ranging from medieval times right up to the present day, Chester is also one of the best preserved walled cities in the country. The city sits on the River Dee, and is home to a world famous racecourse and a beautiful cathedral.

One production that filmed in the city was BBC1’s Lillies, which recorded at the City Baths. The Victorian pool provided the perfect backdrop to Lillies period story, set in 1920’s.
More recently, a new advert for Crunchy Nut Cornflakes took to the banks of the River Dee, to film a boat race with a difference!

One of the most well known series connected with the city, however, is long-running teen soap Hollyoaks, which is set around a fictional suburb of Chester and sometimes uses the city as a backdrop to some of its storylines.

Produced by Liverpool-based indie, Lime Pictures, Hollyoaks is screened every weekday at 6.30pm on Channel 4 and on E4 at 7pm. Turnaround is tight, so being able to rely on the support of the Cheshire and Warrington Film Office when recording in Chester is vital.

“Because of time restrictions we can’t always get out on location, but when we can film in Chester city centre we always get great results,” says Sean Marley, Managing Director at Lime Pictures.

“If some of our characters need to be seen shopping, then having the famous Rows in the background of a scene gives an immediate sense of place, and adds weight to the notion that Hollyoaks is a suburb of Chester,” adds Sean.

Aside from the famous shopping Rows, another jewel in the city’s crown is Chester Zoo. The 110 acre zoo is home to 7000 animals, and 400 different species. Set in award-winning gardens, it includes stunning animal exhibits such as Realm of the red ape, elephants of the Asian forest and the historic Oakfield Manor House, a mansion house used as a tearoom and restaurant. The zoo also has a monorail and canal and is very film friendly.

Councillor Eric Plenderleath, Executive Member for Culture and Community at Chester City Council, believes Chester has something extra special to offer film and TV makers.

“If production companies come to Chester they can experience 2000 years of buildings in our historic city,” says Coun. Plenderleath. “From the country’s largest Roman Amphitheatre and Roman remains, to our magnificent Victorian Eastgate Clock, Chester presents a unique background for filmmakers.

“We’ve got hidden alleyways, two-tier shopping on the Rows, bridges, towers, river, canal, city walls and parks. Chester even has a Roman Guard and official Town Crier and is the perfect location for filmmakers.”

It also makes perfect sense, to name Chester Location of the Month.