A business park in Newcastle with a rich history is getting a taste of Hollywood after becoming a hub for the film and TV sector.
Hoults Yard in Byker once supported more than 1,000 jobs as the home of the Maling pottery and later became a base for the Hoults removals and storage businesses.
In recent years the site off Walker Road has been renovated to provide office space as well as bars and restaurants. But in recent months it has provided a production base for the feature films 28 Years Later and Night and Day, as well as the filming location for the BBC series The Big Idea Works starring North East entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies.
The yard’s involvement in the film and TV world started when the production company behind 28 Years Later, the third instalment of the zombie franchise from Oscar winner Danny Boyle, was looking for a base while shooting in Northumberland and other parts of the North East.
Laura Goldston, general manager at HyHubs, which owns and runs Hoults Yard, said: “The 28 Years Later production company took over several units at the Yard for costumes, set design and make up. They eventually had 12 units over a seven-month period and also used some of our outdoor spaces for spraying costumes.
(Image: Steven Bridgett)
“Extras for the film met at the Yard and it wasn’t unusual to see some of the film’s stars in our eateries on the Yard. Jodie Comer and Danny Boyle were both spotted in Cake Stories café.”
The yard was also used by a British/German film production adapting the Virginia Woolf novel Night and Day into a film starring Timothy Spall, Jennifer Saunders and Lily Allen, using North East locations that include the Lit and Phil, Tanfield Railway and Beamish Museum.
And an undeveloped part of the former pottery factory was chosen by TV production company Twenty Six 03 to provide the backdrop for Sara Davies’ BBC series The Big Idea Works.
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
(Image: Chronicle Live)
Charlie Hoult, MD at HyHubs, said: “We’ve been thrilled to host the film and TV companies on the Yard and we’re now actively looking to attract others to our flexible spaces.
“We’re a one-stop shop for the industry – we have such a variety of units and spaces within a compact area – and bags of parking. But just as importantly, we are now tried and tested – we understand the often complex needs and hectic pace of TV and film production and we have the flexibility and focus to respond quickly, efficiently and without any fuss.
“And of course, we’re handily placed both for the Newcastle metropolis and beautiful Northumberland which is now being recognised as an ideal TV and film location.”
Alison Gwynn, chief executive at regional TV and film agency North East Screen said: “We’re delighted that Hoults Yard has joined the growing list of venues that are ready and willing to support our productions filming in the region. It’s a great space – not just for filming but to house key departments such as make-up and costumes.
“The Hoults Yard team understands the pressurised, demanding nature of filming and has shown the flexibility and willingness to adapt and react quickly which is so important to under-pressure teams working hard to deliver on time and on budget. We’re dedicated to making the North East a destination for global film and TV production, and I hope other production companies can see the benefit of working with the Yard on future projects.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/hidden-yard-newcastle-hollywood-set-31095183
