BBC This Town where it’s filmed – every location across Birmingham and the West Midlands
Birmingham filming locations for BBC’s This Town by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight including Coventry, West Bromwich, Aston and Walsall
Steven Knight’s new BBC drama This Town brings to life the world of Ska and Two-Tone music in its 1980s heyday but much of it may seem very familiar. Filmed across Birmingham and the West Midlands, this is a closer look at the local locations used.
Peaky Blinders creator Knight is putting the region on the map once again, using landmarks from West Bromwich to Nechells and Gravelly Hill. Even Halesowen’s Levi Brown – playing the lead Dante Williams – recalled turning up on set to find it was near where his granddad lived.
Knight, who spent his teenage years in Sutton Coldfield around Streetly, has described This Town as a “love letter to Birmingham and Coventry”. Viewers can try and figure out the local spots for themselves when series one airs on BBC One and iPlayer from March 31.
The six-part season stars Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery and Peaky Blinders’ Jordan Bolger along with newcomer Levi Brown as the main character Dante. It’s a high octane thriller and a family saga about young people from Birmingham making their own way in the world by starting up a band in 1981 amid racial tensions.
From the high-rise tower blocks of This Town to the traditional pub, we have all you need to know about where it was filmed below.
Druids Heath in south Birmingham
Although they are supposed to be high-rise flats in Chelmsley Wood, those were knocked down years ago. Doubling for them in This Town are the tower blocks in Druids Heath instead.
The high rises off Kimpton Close of Saxelby House, Kingswood House and Barratts House feature heavily as the one of the main character, Dante, played by Levi Brown.
Writer Knight spoke of his affection for the towers saying: “These blocks are beautiful when pigeons are flying at them and if you live in them, the view is amazing and you can see the curve of the earth. I wanted to reflect working class life as it is lived and not perceived by other people.”
A stage direction note by Knight in the script for the opening sequence with the tower blocks even read “the sunset dignifies the tower blocks of Chelmsley Wood”.
Nechells in Birmingham
Film crews went to Heartlands Parkway near Star City in Nechells to film scenes where a spaceman is being carried in the shadow of a motorway. The road’s distinctive diamond brickwork gives away the spot as you can see in this photo above. Thousands of motorists pass the section every day as they head to and from the direction of the Fort Shopping Centre.
Gravelly Hill
The iconic Birmingham landmark of Spaghetti Junction features in This Town but may look a little different. It’s because actors were underneath the motorway junction in Gravelly Hill.
West Bromwich
The Happy Trooper pub in Chelmsley Wood was knocked down many years ago so the set designers had to recreate it elsewhere. Swapping the sign, the film crew used the Horse and Coaches pub in Kesteven Road, Hateley Heath, West Bromwich. This is where some of the bizarre scenes take place in the show including a memorable one involving a space suit.
Aston
In the heart of Aston’s community is a modern church dating back to 1973. It was here in South Aston Church, in Upper Sutton Street, that filming took place to give an authentic feel of Birmingham in the 1980s.
Bromford in Birmingham
Atmospheric scenes are show in This Town as character walk under the M6 motorway at Bromford. In real life, this section amongst the motorway is near to Cameronian Croft, shown above. It is at the back of Bromford Residents Club, which was also used for filming.
Stoke-on-Trent
The terraced houses and back alleyways of Stoke-on-Trent were used to create an early 1980s neighbourhood similar to Handsworth in Birmingham. While many other cities have been modernised, the streets off Birks Street and Campbell Road in Stoke have kept a retro authenticity. Stoke was used for riot scenes with the police. Filming was off Lyndhurst Street in Burslem and included a replica tank and a vintage white police van with portable siren.
Digbeth
Steven Knight’s Digbeth Loc Studios were used for many of the scenes. Based at Minerva Works in Fazeley Street, it has opened this year as a “home to storytellers” and creatives. It’s a new base that is expected to help boost the amount of film work in Birmingham. Knight said: “Digbeth is a very special area for me. Most of my relatives grew up in Small Heath and, being a Birmingham City supporter, I’d always be there too.“Digbeth is one of the great areas of Britain in terms of culture. It’s rough and ready, but in my opinion it’s beautiful. When HS2 arrives, there’s going to be a big change in Birmingham – I hope it won’t lose its identity and character.”
Walsall
The busy junction between the M5 and M6 has some added glamour of featuring in This Town. Normally packed with queues, it is a scene where Dante and Jeannie connect in the drama. This filming location was on the canal bridge at Bescot that looks towards the two motorways when they link up.
Coventry
The BBC said Coventry was used for filming, aptly as it was the home to Two-Tone band The Specials and where the movement started.
Source: Birmingham Live