Manchester offers such a rich and diverse range of locations making it a destination of choice for filmmakers who on arrival sculpt locations, through careful use of craft, into what their scripts require.
This is a city rich in green spaces, some no more than a few steps away from the busiest thoroughfares and shopping malls. One such hidden gem is January’s ‘Location of the Month‘, St John’s Gardens.
In fair weather this quiet square, just off Quay Street, is a popular al fresco lunch spot and meeting place for local office workers. Not far from the original home of Coronation Street it was more than likely a regular haunt for some of the soap’s early stars when they weren’t required on set in The Rovers!
A little oasis of calm close to the buzz of the city, the gardens were previously occupied by St John’s Church and its graveyard and transformed into this garden, much loved by Mancunians, in 1932.
In more recent times its charms have seduced film and TV producers. Screen Manchester has recommended the location and worked with productions to secure access and permits enabling the Gardens to shine on screen.
Supernatural drama Domino Day chose Manchester too and the gardens played host to a picnic scene in the heart of the perfect city to show a buzzing, youthful scene as well as a darker edge. Amidst all the nightlife in bars and clubs it was important to the creators that they reflect some calmer moments where romance might thrive and this was their chosen destination.
Dolly Alderton’s novel, “Everything I Know About Love” shot scenes here in a series set in and around Camden in London. Once again Manchester provided the perfect city double. Another popular drama, Life, also filmed here depicting the lives of four neighbours – the city landscapes and neighbourhoods provided the backdrop to moments when the characters reflected on where their life is at including birth, death, marriage, infidelity and mental health.
Back in 2018 the Gardens hosted stars of the Manchester based drama Age Before Beauty including Robson Green, Sue Johnson and Lisa Riley and more recently Sky One‘s Cobra captured some memorable scenes in the Robert Carlyle fronted drama.
Fans of Jack Whitehall might also have spotted the comedian filming for Fresh Meat in the gardens proving that St John’s Gardens suit any genre!
