Stars treading the town’s famous cobbles recently include Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders and Happy Valley’s arch villain James Norton
Le Mans Crescent is a popular filming location (Pic Bolton Film Office)
A ‘film office’ has been launched to attempt to capitalise on the unlikely ‘Hollywood of the North’ reputation of Bolton. The borough has gained the nickname for its well-preserved Victorian and neoclassical architecture around the Town Hall and Le Mans Crescent, which has attracted shoots for dozens of film and TV productions.
Many film and television location managers seek it out for its cobbled streets and imposing streetscapes to double for other cities across different time periods. Recently, Bolton’s screen sector took centre stage with the official launch of the Bolton Film Office, which aims to grow its reputation as a destination for film and TV production.
From gritty dramas like Peaky Blinders and Happy Valley to big-screen stories like A Gentleman in Moscow, the town’s unique character has appeared in productions for BBC, ITV, Channel4, Netflix, Paramount+ and Sky.
Since 2020, Bolton has welcomed 95 productions and 370 days of filming ranging from student films, documentaries, and light entertainment, to high-end TV.
Other television series featuring the town include It’s a Sin, Brassic, Top Gear, Alma’s Not Normal, Coronation Street, Cobra, Years and Years, Ridley, Red Rose, Sherwood and Talamasca. The film office launch was celebrated with an industry networking and a panel discussion hosted by Professor Aaqil Ahmed from the University of Greater Manchester, joined by Fiona Fung, film office manager at the council, Chelsea Foster from Creative England and Ian Findlay, a seasoned location manager.
A scene from ‘It’s a Sin’ shot on Le Mans Crescent (Bolton Film Office)
The panel explored Bolton’s growing reputation as a filming hotspot, with recent productions showcasing the town’s versatility – from historic architecture to adaptable urban and rural backdrops.
The council run film office will promote the town as an ‘affordable’ shooting location with local talent pool able to assist in production. The office also aims to get the creative arts community more involved, through relations with the town’s University of Greater Manchester and local working actors.
They will also promote film tourism, with plans to celebrate its screen heritage and attract visitors.
Earlier this year, Bolton council said filming brings in a profit of around quarter-of-a-million pounds a year to the borough and that in the previous three years, production companies paid £1.3M gross to film in the town.
Ollie Guy, location manager on BBC’s Expectations and Alma’s Not Normal described why the town was an attractive place to shoot. He said: “The borough boasts a diverse range of locations, each one encompasses the typical northern charm in their own special way.
“The support from the council and a warm welcome from the locals makes filming in Bolton a truly enjoyable experience, not to mention the pasties.” One of the most popular filming locations is Le Mans Crescent, the iconic street in the heart of the town centre.
Built in the 1930s, it has a stunning central archway. It has doubled for London’s Whitehall on many occasions and can be used as present day or period.
The Archway has been used to portray both Marble Arch and Admiralty Arch. Shows such as Peaky Blinders, It’s a Sin, Cold Feet, Traces, Top Gear and Ridley have all filmed there in recent years.
The building also boasts an operational ornate lift. The Grade II listed old magistrates’ court and police station within the crescent is another popular location.
Peaky Blinders, starring Cillian Murphy, used Bolton as moody backdrop (Pic: Bolton International Film Festival)
It has of two courtrooms, cells and custody areas, curving long corridors, plus several annex rooms for production companies to choose from. Since early 2019 more than a dozen productions have used the location.
The Stranger used a room as a set build for a police station interior, It’s a Sin built a hospital ward and Coronation Street, Traces, Cold Feet and Sky production ‘Wolfe’ have used the court itself.
The court was the location for the ‘escape’ scene in the BBC drama Happy Valley where arch villain Tommy-Lee Royce scaled the glass dock to evade justice. Ridley turned some of the cells into a period 1960s police station.
Tommy Lee Royce, played by James Norton, in the Bolton court dock (Image: BBC)
The central library is also offered as a location with its original 1930s sweeping staircase leading to the museum and aquarium spaces.
Bolton Council’s cabinet member for culture, Coun Nadeem Ayub, said: “Bolton can continue to grow as a cultural destination through filming and the use of its public spaces, fantastic buildings, and green space.
“The new Bolton Film Office will enhance what has already been achieved and will grow our filming across the borough and keep Bolton firmly in the filming spotlight – maintaining its reputation as being a place truly born to perform.”
The office provides location support, filming guidance, and a growing database of spaces across the borough – from historic buildings to green spaces.
