Filming for a new period comedy film written by Jimmy Carr and starring Damian Lewis took place in the Wirral village last year
Staff at a Wirral music venue said they felt ‘robbed’ after claiming they weren’t paid for their role in a star-studded film production. Thornton Hough Village Club & Bar took to social media to share their frustrations after claiming they had been left out of pocket.
The music venue was being used as part of the production for the film Fackham Hall, a period comedy film directed by Jim O’Hanlon, who has previously worked on Coronation Street, Channel 4 comedy Catastrophe and BBC series Inside Number 9. The film is set to star Damian Lewis, Tom Felton and Emma Laird, among others.
The film is described as a “comedy pastiche on Downton Abbey” and will feature period costumes and vehicles. In November, actor Ben Radcliffe, who previously starred in TV series The Witcher, was spotted filming in the village.
In a lengthy social media post shared on Monday, a representative of Thornton Hough Village Club & Bar claimed: “We’ve been robbed. This all seemed quite exciting at the time. Lots of stars of TV and film descended on the village in November and December last year for the filming of ‘Fackham Hall’, a Downton Abbey comedy spoof.
“Damian Lewis, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sue Johnston and many more, including the writer Jimmy Carr. They hired the club as a green room for eight days, and also used us for changing rooms, cast promo shots and interviews, and changed our window into a ladies outfitters ‘Tailor Swift’ for one scene.
“Up to 14 hours a day for eight days, getting up at 6am to open up for them, closing at 9pm, and cleaning up after their mess everyday. One night we couldn’t open so we also lost income. We haven’t been paid for any of it.”
The film, which is understood to be jointly produced by Two & Two Pictures, and Mews Films, the latter of which is a new production label housed within Archery Pictures. The Mews Films website states that the production company is “focused on the development of a slate of comedy movies for the domestic UK theatrical market”. The venture is a partnership with producer Danny Perkins’s Elysian Film Group.
In November, the ECHO reported on disruption to the local area in Thornton Hough for the production’s filming. A stop and go traffic control system with two to three minute traffic holds was put in place at St George’s Way in the village.
A letter sent out to people and businesses based in the area confirmed the filming would take place from 9am to 3pm. To minimise the disruption the production promised to ensure pedestrians could gain access to properties and businesses in between filming takes. To facilitate filming, the crew had to clear the street of vehicles at St George’s Way from 9am to 3pm.
Dean Short, the location manager who is working on Fackham Hall, said: “School pick ups and collections can still happen between Thornton Hough pre-school and Thornton Hough Primary School. We are working with full help and support of the Liverpool Film Office.
“At all times we will be working to national industry guidelines written by the British Film Commission. At all times the health and safety of our crew and general public is of paramount importance.”
The ECHO contacted Two & Two Pictures and Mews Films for comment on the claims made by Thornton Hough Village Club & Bar but had not received a response by the time of publication. The ECHO also contacted the music venue’s volunteer venue manager for further comment.
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