Famous UK film and TV pub locations to visit

Image courtesy of The Brewhaus, Glasgow

A pie and a pint is something of a holiday tradition for many of us. After a long walk or a day of touring your chosen destination, a stop at a British pub is a real treat. So is it any surprise that they feature so prominently in British movies and TV shows? Pubs offer a comfortable home-from-home; for many it’s very much a part of our culture and this is reflected in art and popular entertainment.

Our guide features a host of British pubs that have featured famously in films and TV shows over the years. Whilst you are staying at one of our self-catering holiday cottages, why not visit one of the pubs for a spot of lunch to see if you recognise the surroundings? If you don't to confine your film location bagging to the pub, read our guide to the UK's top filming locations to see if you are close to any on your holiday.

From Scotland to the tip of Cornwall, there are famous movie pubs that have served as film locations. See how many you already knew about on our list below.

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• England
• Wales
• Scotland

Famous film and TV pubs in England

The Golden Lion, Port Isaac, Cornwall

Fisherman’s Friends 1 & 2, Doc Martin, Saving Grace

The Golden Lion in Port Isaac features prominently in the two Fisherman’s Friends films and a few episodes of the long-running TV favourite Doc Martin. As you may already know, the village itself is packed with familiar locations from the film. You may even spot one of the real-life Fisherman’s Friends having a quiet pint in the pub from time to time. The village is iconic and nestled along a beautiful stretch of the North Cornwall coast close to Port Gaverne, Tintagel Castle, Boscastle, and the Camel River. Port Isaac also featured heavily in the 2000 comedy Saving Grace starring Brenda Blethyn. The Golden Lion may well be the UK's most famous pubs in film and TV due the number of different productions it's shown up in.

Cornwall cottages

The Crown, Wells

Hot Fuzz

The Crown at Wells played host to many scenes in the 2007 Edgar Wright film Hot Fuzz. Still highly recognisable as the setting for so many funny action-packed scenes, The Crown is very photogenic and worth a visit if you are bagging UK film pubs. Rewatch the hilarious Simon Pegg and Nick Frost starrer to see other Wells locations that appear throughout too. If you are visiting, Wells is a great central location for visiting Cheddar Gorge, the historic cities of Bristol and Bath, and the battlefield sites of the Somerset Levels. Read our guide to give you some more ideas for places to visit in Somerset.

Somerset cottages

The White Horse Pub, Surrey

The Holiday

There was no name change necessary for The Holiday’s central pub, The White Horse. The film pub is still highly recognisable from the film and you can enjoy some lovely meals from the interesting menu there. Sadly, if you are also hoping to find the chocolate-box country cottage, you won’t find it as it was a set constructed especially for the film. The 2006 romantic comedy is a big favourite with so many, starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Rufus Sewell. Situated in the gorgeous Surrey village of Shere, it’s a great location set in the Surrey Hills AONB with highlights such as the National Trust's Box Hill and Denbies Hillside. Take some time to read our guide to beautiful country cottages near pubs for even more inspiration.

Surrey cottages

Image (R) courtesy of @your.localtourist

The Globe, London

Bridget Jones’ Diary

The Globe in London is a distinctive pub next to an elevated railway track and Borough Market. It featured in a few movies including the popular adaptation of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary and its sequels. It was the fictional location of Bridget’s flat too. The pub is small and cosy and very close to some other locations seen in the film like the Greek restaurant which is now a wine merchant. The pub was also seen in The French Lieutenant’s Woman, and The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus. To discover some great places to stay within two hours of London, read our guide.

London cottages

Various pubs, Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City

The World’s End

Edgar Wright loves a movie pub; his entire fifth feature film, The World’s End, is about a pub crawl. Most of the 12 pubs featured are located in Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire. If you are up for recreating the Golden Mile pub crawl without the interruption by alien androids, put these hostelries on your list. For Welwyn Garden City, visit The Peartree, and The Doctor’s Tonic; and for Letchworth Garden City you can visit The Three Magnets, The Arena Tavern, and The Wilbury (which doubled as The World’s End).

Hertfordshire cottages

Shiregreen Working Man’s Club, Sheffield

The Full Monty

Shot on location in South Yorkshire, the 90s comedy The Full Monty was a surprise success on its cinema release The story about unemployed men resurrecting their bank balances and self-respect by becoming amateur male strippers was a huge hit. The final strip show was shot inside the Shire Green Working Club in Sheffield which has hopes of reopening in 2023. The exteriors were shot in central Sheffield on Idsworth Road – the building is now an unused warehouse. Sheffield is close to the edge of the lovely Peak District National Park and to beauty spots like Stanage Edge, and Mam Tor. For even more Yorkshire film locations, read this wonderful blog.

Yorkshire cottages

Famous film and TV pubs in Wales

The Colcot Arms, Barry

Gavin and Stacey

The phenomenally popular and enduring Gavin and Stacey has made many of the stars into an international treasure. In James Corden’s case, it’s sent his profile stratospheric in this TV show’s wake. Many of the Barry-set scenes from Gavin and Stacey (throughout the series’ long run) were set in the real Colcot Arms making it one of the UK's most famous TV pubs in the land. Pop in to find out ‘what’s occurin' when you're in the area. After you have sussed out the Colcot Arms visit local attractions such as Barry Island Pleasure Park, Cardiff city centre, the Brecon Beacons National Park, and Porthkerry Country Park.

South Wales cottages

Crickadarn Cottage, near Builth Wells

An American Werewolf in London

The exterior shots of The Slaughtered Lamb pub in the howling mad An American Werewolf In London were shot in the tiny village of Crickadarn, near the town of Builth Wells, just north of the Brecon Beacons. The interiors were filmed closer to London’s Twickenham Film Studios at a pub called The Black Swan in the tiny village of Martyr’s Green near Cobham in Surrey. The pub is hardly recognisable as it has been subject to a series of renovations since the infamous scene was film pub scene shot. Wales is full of film and TV shooting locations; explore our guide to discover where some of your favourites were made.

Mid-Wales cottages

Famous film and TV pubs in Scotland

The Brewhaus, Glasgow

Trainspotting

The notorious ‘Begbie fight scene’ from Trainspotting was filmed in a pub formerly known as Crosslands. It’s had a few makeovers since the mid-90s when the film was made and nowadays it's known as  The Brewhaus, where you can buy cocktails and craft ales. The balcony from which Begbie threw his pint glass is still in situ. Sadly, there aren’t too many other clues remaining to pin it to Danny Boyle’s wonderfully gritty film about dodgy characters played by Ewan McGregor, Kelly MacDonald, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller. When in Glasgow, also visit the Riverside Museum, Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove Park, and Glasgow Botanic Gardens with Kibble Palace.

Glasgow cottages

The Ship Inn, Banff

Local Hero

Still held in high regard, Bill Forsyth’s 1983 film Local Hero, about an American stranded in a Scottish seaside village, remains a joy to watch. Most of the film was shot in the hamlet of Pennan (11.5 miles) and that is well worth your time as little has changed since the film was made. The interiors for the fictional Macaskill Arms were filmed at the Pennan Inn. Sadly, The Ship Inn, which was used for exterior shots, closed for business due to Covid-19 restrictions and has remained boarded up for some time. Plans to turn it into apartments have been rejected so it may return as a pub in the future. It is short walk away from The Pennan Inn where the interiors were lensed. You can even see the famous red phone box at the heart of the village. Located in a very remote part of Scotland, nearby Fraserburgh is a hot spot for surfers on the extreme cold circuit. For more epic Scottish film locations, read our guide.

Aberdeenshire cottages

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