Surge in visitors to Lancaster and Morecambe as TV crews keep coming back for more

In the month that a fifth series of The Bay was announced, Morecambe also featured in Michael Portillo’s Coastal Railway Journeys and in Painting Birds with Jim Moir and Nancy – on the same day.

Coastal Railway Journeys saw the former cabinet minister sample the delights of Morecambe Bay shrimps at Edmondsons, hot on the heels of The Hairy Bikers who’ve also filmed there.

Meanwhile the comedian, formerly known as Vic Reeves, was shown painting at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve near Carnforth and at Morecambe’s Midland Hotel.

And it’s mainly thanks to the efforts of authorities such as Lancaster City Council, who help facilitate filming, that production companies keep coming back for more.

“As the first port of call for production teams needing our help and advice on suitable locations, permissions to film and many other things, our officers have certainly been kept busy over the last few years helping new and returning productions to cast some tremendously invaluable national limelight on our area,” said Coun Catherine Potter, Lancaster City Council’s cabinet member for tourism and marketing.

“Filming not only brings a welcome economic boost to local businesses and services, it also provides opportunities to market the area and boost visitor numbers through increased film tourism.

“I also believe that it engenders a sense of collective local pride – a feeling that Lancaster and Morecambe and our beautiful rural areas are very much on the map and appreciated throughout the UK.”

The Bay has become so popular with viewers that Visitor Information Centres have been inundated with enquiries so a special location guide has been produced.

Another high profile programme which filmed in the area in the past year is Strictly Come Dancing when television presenter, Helen Skelton and her dance partner, Gorka Marquez, used The Storey in Lancaster to practise their routines and even filmed in Williamson Park.

And the Ashton Memorial was transformed for an episode of Peaky Blinders starring Cillian Murphy, which aired last year while another famous face, James Nesbitt, filmed scenes for the Netflix thriller series, Stay Close, in Morecambe.

The area’s interesting history and picturesque locations make it particularly popular with documentary production companies.

Among those filmed locally include Myths and Legends with Jonathan Ross which featured Lancaster Castle, The Storey and Williamson Park while Susan Calman had one of her Grand Days Out in Morecambe.

Thanks to Britain’s biggest family – the Radfords - making their home in Morecambe, various locations in the town and wider area are often seen in the series, 22 Kids and Counting.

And Morecambe packs a punch in a Netflix series about another famous family – At Home with the Furys.

Programmes also filmed in Morecambe are Britain by Beach and A League of their Own Road Trip. Lancaster’s Grand Theatre has hosted another Road Trip, of the Antiques variety, while Williamson Park featured in the Four In A Bed series and ITV’s The Voice.

Coun Potter said: “We’re proud to offer some of the best scenic backdrops to the industry, with our rich variety of urban, rural and coastal landscapes, and striking historic and contemporary architecture.

”We look forward to working with many more production teams this year to facilitate filming in Lancaster district.”