Borehamwood is a town in southern Hertfordshire, situated 12 miles (19 km) from Charing Cross. It has a population of 31,065 (2011 census) It is within the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood and the London commuter belt. There is one weekly newspaper, the Borehamwood Times. The town is perhaps most well known for its film and TV studios, commonly known as Elstree Film Studios,
HISTORY
From the 1920s onwards, the town became known as one of the main centres of the UK film, and later television, industries due to the presence of production studios.
Following World War II, the town's population greatly increased, with large areas of council housing set up for displaced Londoners, many of which are now in private ownership. Fast train connections to central London have resulted in the town becoming a primarily residential suburb.
Borehamwood is currently undergoing a substantial housing transformation which has seen hundreds of new homes built over the last five years. There are currently two further developments being built and more are expected.
In addition to the studios, the town is also home to many retail shops, offices and light industry.
TRANSPORT
On the west side of Borehamwood is a railway station, Elstree & Borehamwood railway station, served by trains operated by First Capital Connect on the Thameslink route. London buses runs its number 107 service through the town from New Barnet onto to Edgware and the number 292 bus service going into North West London. The Uno (bus company) run a bus service that stops at Borehamwood starting from Hatfield to Stanmore and back, as well as a bus service that goes to Watford. Intalink operate a bus service to other parts of Hertfordshire.
The A1 road passes just to the east of the town, and the M25 motorway passes about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of it.
FILM INDUSTRY
Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "BritishHollywood". Whilst most of these studios have now closed, two still remain.
Many well-known movies including The Dam Busters (1955), Moby Dick (1956), Summer Holiday (1963), Dr Zhivago (1965)', 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and, The Shining (1980) starring Jack Nicholson, the first three Indiana Jones films and the first three Star Wars movies were partially filmed at the former Associated British Studios in Shenley Road. These were partly demolished in the 1980s to make way for a Tesco Extra supermarket on one side and an office block complex on the other.
The area between the supermarket and the office blocks is all that remains of the original studio, which has been much reduced in size and usefulness to production companies as a result.Elstree Studios were more recently used for the popular TV series Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Big Brother, as well as several major feature films. The Inspector Morse TV series' production offices were based in the studios and, although the series was supposedly set in Oxford, several exterior locations (banks, shops etc.) were filmed in the streets of Borehamwood.
The former British National Studios off Clarendon Road referred to locally as "The Douglas Fairbanks studios" (which were bought by Lew Grade's ATV in 1962) are now the BBC Elstree Studios. The studios have, over the years, been home to Alfred Hitchcock's movie Blackmail, Gerry Anderson's TV series UFO not to mention The Muppet Show was also made there by Jim Henson, and now BBC's popular soap, EastEnders and their medical drama Holby City. An episode of Judge John Deed included scenes of the Tesco Extra, but with Borehamwood crossed out and Leweswritten in its place.
Several other studios including The Gate Studio and the Danziger Studios at nearby Elstree have been demolished. The MGM-British Studios complex (demolished in the early 1970s) saw the production of many well-known films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), as well as many ITV television series including The Prisoner (1967–68).
Borehamwood itself has seen filming of many series, including the ever popular Most Haunted Live on Halloween, named Nightmare on Elstree and EastEnders is filmed there.
The newer Millennium Studios is situated on Elstree Way, Borehamwood.
SPORT & RECREATION
The first third of the Watling Chase Timberland Trail stretches from Elstree & Borehamwood railway station up to Shenley. South of the town is a large area of grassland and trees called Woodcock Hill Village Green.
Borehamwood is home to Boreham Wood F.C., Arsenal Ladies and Watford F.C. Reserves who play their home games at Meadow Park. There are several parks in the area. Aberford Park is featured with the source of the brook which has been artificially been made to look like a lake. Meadow Park includes a large playing field, tennis courts and basketball courts.
Borehamwood has a large shopping area called Borehamwood Shopping Park, featuring large stores such as Marks & Spencer Simply Food, Next, Outfit - which includes Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Miss Selfridge, WH Smith, Boots, and more recently JD Sports, which takes place of JJB Sports And Now Poundland as well
there are 2 privately own publications that serve the area the Borehamwood Times and Tried and Trusted. The Town Cryer is the mouth piece of Borehamwood Town council.
SCHOOLS
Borehamwood has a number of primary schools, including Cowley Hill Primary School and Parkside School, which were described by Nikolaus Pevsner as typical of the exemplary post-war work of the Hertfordshire County Architect's Department. Secondary schools include Hertswood Academy, Elstree University Technical College and Yavneh College. Independent schools includeHaberdashers' Aske's Boys' and Girls' schools.
The TV series Grange Hill was filmed at Hillside School in Borehamwood from 1985 to 1990
info sourced from Wikipedia 9th December 2013
HISTORY
From the 1920s onwards, the town became known as one of the main centres of the UK film, and later television, industries due to the presence of production studios.
Following World War II, the town's population greatly increased, with large areas of council housing set up for displaced Londoners, many of which are now in private ownership. Fast train connections to central London have resulted in the town becoming a primarily residential suburb.
Borehamwood is currently undergoing a substantial housing transformation which has seen hundreds of new homes built over the last five years. There are currently two further developments being built and more are expected.
In addition to the studios, the town is also home to many retail shops, offices and light industry.
TRANSPORT
On the west side of Borehamwood is a railway station, Elstree & Borehamwood railway station, served by trains operated by First Capital Connect on the Thameslink route. London buses runs its number 107 service through the town from New Barnet onto to Edgware and the number 292 bus service going into North West London. The Uno (bus company) run a bus service that stops at Borehamwood starting from Hatfield to Stanmore and back, as well as a bus service that goes to Watford. Intalink operate a bus service to other parts of Hertfordshire.
The A1 road passes just to the east of the town, and the M25 motorway passes about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of it.
FILM INDUSTRY
Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "BritishHollywood". Whilst most of these studios have now closed, two still remain.
Many well-known movies including The Dam Busters (1955), Moby Dick (1956), Summer Holiday (1963), Dr Zhivago (1965)', 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and, The Shining (1980) starring Jack Nicholson, the first three Indiana Jones films and the first three Star Wars movies were partially filmed at the former Associated British Studios in Shenley Road. These were partly demolished in the 1980s to make way for a Tesco Extra supermarket on one side and an office block complex on the other.
The area between the supermarket and the office blocks is all that remains of the original studio, which has been much reduced in size and usefulness to production companies as a result.Elstree Studios were more recently used for the popular TV series Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Big Brother, as well as several major feature films. The Inspector Morse TV series' production offices were based in the studios and, although the series was supposedly set in Oxford, several exterior locations (banks, shops etc.) were filmed in the streets of Borehamwood.
The former British National Studios off Clarendon Road referred to locally as "The Douglas Fairbanks studios" (which were bought by Lew Grade's ATV in 1962) are now the BBC Elstree Studios. The studios have, over the years, been home to Alfred Hitchcock's movie Blackmail, Gerry Anderson's TV series UFO not to mention The Muppet Show was also made there by Jim Henson, and now BBC's popular soap, EastEnders and their medical drama Holby City. An episode of Judge John Deed included scenes of the Tesco Extra, but with Borehamwood crossed out and Leweswritten in its place.
Several other studios including The Gate Studio and the Danziger Studios at nearby Elstree have been demolished. The MGM-British Studios complex (demolished in the early 1970s) saw the production of many well-known films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), as well as many ITV television series including The Prisoner (1967–68).
Borehamwood itself has seen filming of many series, including the ever popular Most Haunted Live on Halloween, named Nightmare on Elstree and EastEnders is filmed there.
The newer Millennium Studios is situated on Elstree Way, Borehamwood.
SPORT & RECREATION
The first third of the Watling Chase Timberland Trail stretches from Elstree & Borehamwood railway station up to Shenley. South of the town is a large area of grassland and trees called Woodcock Hill Village Green.
Borehamwood is home to Boreham Wood F.C., Arsenal Ladies and Watford F.C. Reserves who play their home games at Meadow Park. There are several parks in the area. Aberford Park is featured with the source of the brook which has been artificially been made to look like a lake. Meadow Park includes a large playing field, tennis courts and basketball courts.
Borehamwood has a large shopping area called Borehamwood Shopping Park, featuring large stores such as Marks & Spencer Simply Food, Next, Outfit - which includes Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Miss Selfridge, WH Smith, Boots, and more recently JD Sports, which takes place of JJB Sports And Now Poundland as well
there are 2 privately own publications that serve the area the Borehamwood Times and Tried and Trusted. The Town Cryer is the mouth piece of Borehamwood Town council.
SCHOOLS
Borehamwood has a number of primary schools, including Cowley Hill Primary School and Parkside School, which were described by Nikolaus Pevsner as typical of the exemplary post-war work of the Hertfordshire County Architect's Department. Secondary schools include Hertswood Academy, Elstree University Technical College and Yavneh College. Independent schools includeHaberdashers' Aske's Boys' and Girls' schools.
The TV series Grange Hill was filmed at Hillside School in Borehamwood from 1985 to 1990
info sourced from Wikipedia 9th December 2013
