London is a historic and world-renowned city and is the background of hundreds of films whether you realise that you’re looking at London or not. Filming on London streets will provide an iconic backdrop for a variety of stories!
Some films and TV shows such as Paddington, Killing Eve, Love Actually, A Clockwork Orange, wear their London setting on their sleeve whereas others aren’t quite so upfront about their filming locations. From Les Miserables (filmed partly in Greenwich pretending to be Paris), to Legally Blonde (filmed partly in Dulwich pretending to be Harvard), to The Dark Knight Rises (filmed partly in Croydon pretending to be Gotham) and to Avengers Age of Ultron (filmed partly in Smithfield pretending to be the Norse world).
It's clear that London offers attractive filming locations, regardless of genre, place, or period. There are ten standouts which provide filming spaces to give any production a unique setting.
Peckham Multi-Storey Car Par, Rye Lane
A disused car park in Peckham, South London has been turned into a creative space and events venue. What really makes this car park special though is its view across the London skyline, its large open concrete spaces, and entirely pink painted stairwell. This industrial and city setting would make a great scene for any contemporary film.
Oxford House Chapel
This beautiful wood-panelled chapel in Hackney is filled with natural light and would work particularly well for anything requiring an academic or period setting.
The House Next Door
A five floored former building merchants situated in the north of Hackney. The buildings mix of exposed floorboards and beams along with large windows lean it easily to both film and photography. This faux-dilapidated building would make a great backdrop for any period setting from the Victorian era onwards.
Library at The Gore Hotel
This beautiful library in Kensington could make for a range of settings, from period to contemporary, from a stately country manor to the interiors of high-level government offices, to romances to a spy thriller.
The Sky Garden
This is London’s highest garden, located in the Fenchurch Building in the heart of London. With speculator views all across London and a lush indoor garden, this is a wholly unique space which would be a great setting for anything contemporary.
The Cavendish Arms
The quirky backroom of this pub in Stockwell, South London, is an intimate stage and performance area in this very vintage style setting. The classic elements are incredibly versatile and lend the setting to any 20an century setting, from a 1920s speakeasy to a modern comedy night across any genre.
Bell House
Located in Dulwich, South London, this is a charming manor house is complete with two acres of gardens with a carriage driveway and it could be miles into the countryside. Any setting requiring a large and elegant house would have its needs met with this.
Penywern Garden
An exotic garden with a heated pool is situated in Kensington. This secluded place is a small spot of the tropics in central London, and a reflection of the area’s affluence. This would be a fantastic setting for any scene where money is on the table from the mid-century onwards.
Epping Ongar Railway
A stone's throw out of London is this historical railway station which now runs heritage train operations, giving people a chance to experience a more leisurely, romantic era of railway travel. The historic station would work really well for any period setting from the Edwardian period onwards.
Over-Seas House
This grand house Bennet-Clark Room in St James contains the Bennet-Clark Room, a bright and airy room which has large decorative gold mirrors and stunning views over the gardens of Buckingham Palace. This would be an ideal setting for any high-concept drama or romance along with any period piece.
