As the UK’s capital, London has had its fair share of silver screen time over the years. From classics such as Mary Poppins and James Bond to the romantic comedies of Notting Hill and Bridget Jones, the city has been a temporary home for some of our favourite film characters.
It is no myth that property prices in London have escalated over the years. Countless Londoners are selling their homes bought in the 60s and 70s and making profits into the millions. Whilst we know that movies are fiction how have some of the locations in our favourite films been affected by inflation since they first hit our screens? Let’s take a look at some of the famous movie properties in London.
Natalie’s house, Love Actually
Although she describes herself as being from ‘the dodgy part of Wandsworth’, the Love Actually team actually shot the property scenes in Herne Hill. Back in 2003 when the film was released a similar property in Wandsworth would have cost £640,086. Today you’d need at least £1.7 million to make the house your home. However, the property in Herne Hill was valued at £205,905 back in 2003 and has shot up to over £530,000 today.
William’s flat, Notting Hill
280 Westbourne Park Road became famous for its blue front door in the hit film Notting Hill. The three-bedroom property became highly desirable in the early 00s following the release of the motion picture in 1999.
Twenty years ago following Notting Hill’s success the property sold for £1.3 million. Today the property is valued at £4.8 million. That’s nothing on his younger sister’s pad however, their 91 Lansdowne Road home is valued at £9.2 million today.
Bridget’s flat, Bridget Jones’s Diary
In Helen Fielding’s novel, Bridget lives in Holland Park. However, for the films, she became a Southwark resident. Bridget’s flat is above The Globe Tavern pub, bang smack on the doorstep of Borough Market. When Bridget Jones’s Diary came out in 2001 her flat at 8 Bedale Street would have cost around £190,000. Today, you’d be looking at prices upwards of £700,000. Currently, the owner of the flat leaves it virtually unoccupied most of the year but is considering letting in via Airbnb.
The Winchester Tavern, Shaun of the Dead
Much of Shaun of the Dead is set in North London areas such as Crouch End, Finsbury Park and East Finchley. However, the heart and sound of the film – The Winchester – is actually in New Cross, South London.
Known as The Duke of Albany, the three-story Victorian pub on Monson Road was a popular haunt for locals. Sadly in 2008 the pub was shut forever and turned into three flats, costing between £350,000 and £435,000.
The Bank’s family home, Mary Poppins
Julie Andrews has played some iconic roles but one of the most coveted is Mary Poppins in the 1964 film of the same name. In the film, the Bank’s family live in a beautiful Victorian home on Cherry Tree Lane. Despite this location being fictional, 50 Smith Street in Chelsea is the inspiration behind the Bank’s residence.
Pamela Lyndon Travers, author of the Mary Poppins series of children’s books, actually lived at 50 Smith Street. It is said that the Traver’s family home helped the author pen and envisage the Banks family. Today there is an English Heritage Blue Plaque on the house marking it as the author’s home. The property is currently valued at £4.3 million.
The hideout, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Just a two-minute walk from Bridget’s flat in Bedale Street is the grubby hideout from Guy Ritchie’s gangster classic, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Back in 1998 when Lock, Stock was released the hideout at 15 Park Street was worth £165,000. Let’s just say it wasn’t the most desirable London location at the time. Today, however, property prices on Park Street have increased to an average of £668,000.
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