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DAMIEN MOLONY FANSITE → DAMIEN MOLONY FORUM → Being Human → Being Human Bloggers Fieldtrip 8-11 August 2013
 

Topic: Being Human Bloggers Fieldtrip 8-11 August 2013

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fifi
Damiac
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Being Human Bloggers Fieldtrip 8-11 August 2013
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Last Thursday afternoon 11 Being Human bloggers - including me - met up in Morrisons' carpark, Cardiff Bay at the start of 4 days of Being Human filming location visits, re-enactments, quotes and general hilarity.  Huge thanks to Su at this point who orgainised it, booked apartments for everyone, put together an itinerary which organised every moment of every day..... and was an excellent tour guide (su - I do love your filming stories....really I do!)  If you want to keep your Being Human viewing glasses rosey, then look away now...don't read any further because what follows could shatter all of your illusions!

After a quick wizz (disorganised ramble) around Morrisons for essentials (!) we met the aparment owner in the carpark (that's not at all dodgy is it?!), checked into our apartments and then headed out for our first location visit - the Maerdy Hotel in Pencoed (Nr Bridgend).....otherwise known as the Barry Grand Hotel. 

 

maerdy hotel.jpgmaerdy hotel road.jpg

 

 

Much to some people's dismay, the Barry Grand is not only not in Barry, but is also nowhere near the sea.  Although I already knew this, I was surprised that it is so close to the  road, and basically in the middle of a housing estate.  But it was weirdly satisfying to see the tables still outside

 

 

We weren't able to go inside as the hotel is shut and currently up for sale:  if anyone's interested! http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-29801446.html

To be honest it was a bit sad as it looks unloved and uncared for - especially inside - although it was quite recognisable as the Barry Grand....not that we spent a long time peering through the windows, or anything!

 

SAM_0048.JPG

SAM_0049.JPG

maerdy hotel interior stairs.jpg

 

I'm not sure just how long we hung around suspiciously outside, but there was a lot of acting out scenes/ posing for pics....my particular favourite being the Hal/Tom/Alex promo pic......

 

maerdy hotel hal tom alex.jpg

You must admit the resemblence is uncanny!!!

And I was amazed by just how quickly I become immune to the stares/amusement of passers by...and lost all sense of embarrassment - just as well considering there was still another 3 days to go!

 We eventurally tore ourselves away and back to our apartments for a series 5 rewatch (it was a bit late to do the full series 4!) and pizza (there may have been a small amount of alcohol involved too). We were also hoping to meet whimsy via the magic of skype....but sadly - due to the total crapness of our wi-fi - she only managed to join us for about 3 seconds!  (really sorry whimsy...it would've been lovely to meet you!)

So that was (more or less......) the end of the first day of our fieldtrip.  According to our itinerary we were heading off to Tredegar House at 10am Fri. morning....but I'll save that for another post.

(Thanks to Laura for letting me use her fantastic pics....)

 

 



-- Edited by fifi on Friday 16th of August 2013 11:59:57 AM



-- Edited by fifi on Friday 16th of August 2013 12:01:18 PM

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Su Hemming
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Squeeee!! I love your write up Fifi! Can't wait for the next instalment :) xx

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domino l - l - l
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This is amazing fifi, awesome work on a very beautifully written piece, with pictures all nicely laid out and everything! well done and thank you for sharing the epicness, I am feeling vicariously and tangentially gleeful!

I am so glad you posted all about the big trip you all went on, been seeing bits and pieces on twitter but it is lovely to read a whole account.

Squeeee! I recognize all those locations, what a thrill! Love the re-enactment of the famous trilogy pic Su, Kat and Shoe! particularly your oscar worthy pout Su!

More! more! coolbounce

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UJ
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Sounds like a hoot and a half! Fabulous recreation of the publicity photo. As far as I'm concerned, they could do a new series with you guys and I'd barely blink.

It's a bit of a shock seeing the Grand look like that. Guess the end of the world took its toll ...

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fifi
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Thanks for your enthusiasm, ladies!  If you want to add anything, Su...then please do!!

 

Day 2 dawned bright and sunny (we were sooo lucky with the weather!) And 10am came.....and went...

So.....at about 11am(!) we finally set off for Tredegar House, Newport.  It really is a lovely house, and it has a geniunely interesting history... although we obviously weren't very interested at the time!  I had actually visited previously - just a few weeks after they were filming there, although I didn't know that then - so I was really pleased to be going back, especially with friends who would appreciate Tredegar's other attractions!

 

First of all we headed round the back so that our                SAM_0053.JPG

star bloggers could re-live their moment of fame:

 

 

 

 

And then, after being briefly distracted by the swings which Alex and Lady Mary sat on (there were actually children playing on them!! pesky kids!), made our way through the stables to the front of the building

 

tredegar front.jpg  

 

 

  I very much doubt that a group of visitors have ever run through the gates quite so many times and with quite so much enthusiasm! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having managed to persuade the very nice National Trust lady that we really weren't interested in the tour (I'm pretty sure that they eventually warned each other of our presence via their radios...and it got easier as we went round. lol!) we made our way into the dining room.  Yes it really is always set out like this.......and I may have actually stood in the dining room holding up a little 'puppet Hal' for people to take photos of (although I won't take credit/responsibility for either his creation, or his presence!)

 dining room tredegar.jpg                    hal dining room tredegar.jpg   

 

There was a tour happening in the hall at the bottom of THE stairs....so we headed straight up in search of the 'rough and tumble' room.  We found a likely candidate (the guide didn't have a clue....useless!!) but having thoroughly checked the clip, I'm sure it wasn't the right one.  With hindsight, as they would've needed to use their own furniture (NT are hardly likely to let them use theirs!) I think it's likely that it was filmed in one of the downstairs rooms at the back of the house....which aren't open to the public, and presumably are empty.

 

stairs tredegar.jpg   So we wizzed through the rest of the house and back outside....in order to go back in and 'enjoy' the stairs!

 

This time round the swings were child free - but they didn't stay empty for long. lol! 

 

 

By now the guides were completely ignoring us! and we were left totally unharrassed......                 

   

 

 

 

And so we left Tredegar and drove back to Cardiff, where we stopped briefly to enjoy some apocalyptic scenery: .....

natwest.jpg         rooks tvs.jpg          SAM_0066.JPG    

 

"they jumped...from the rooftops" .....      ....where Alistair finds Rook             ....the alley Hal, Tom and
                                                                           watching tv                       Alex chase Rook down

 

...before returning to our apartments to get ready for a big night out in Cardiff......dinner, drinks - I just need to give you this...

        bar.jpg                bar 2.jpg

 

(not a filming location - but it'll do won't it?) .....and then the more energetic among us headed off to the Oceana (Cutler's club) while the rest of us went to bed - including me, so I have nothing to say about it!!

 

Day 3....Barry!!  Possibly my favourite place in the whole wide world...... And Neath Abbey....

 



-- Edited by fifi on Saturday 17th of August 2013 03:46:41 PM



-- Edited by fifi on Saturday 17th of August 2013 03:47:38 PM



-- Edited by fifi on Saturday 17th of August 2013 03:49:41 PM

oh god...I hope it's right this time. lol



-- Edited by fifi on Saturday 17th of August 2013 03:51:11 PM



-- Edited by fifi on Saturday 17th of August 2013 03:55:03 PM

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domino l - l - l
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Wheeee! too much awesomeness for words!

these posts are like a beautiful feast for a fangirls eyes and soul fifi! thank you so much...and thank you too to all the others for allowing you to share pics with them in
Love Hal puppet!

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fifi
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oh - we had a Hal for every occasion.....

 

puppet hals.jpg

   



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Kimberfly33
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What a fun trip! Thanks for sharing! And the puppet Hals are hilarious!

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domino l - l - l
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fifi wrote:

oh - we had a Hal for every occasion.....

 

puppet hals.jpg

   

  want! 

 

Oh em gee............ those are A MAZ ING! 



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fifi
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Oh my god......I've totally forgotten about the cafe on the corner.  How could I have forgotten about the cafe on the corner?!  Lol.....I'm not very good at this am I?   Oh well...I'll just have to tag it onto the next post - sorry!



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fifi
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OK...so let's rewind a little.

Day 2 - Friday 11am.  We did, indeed, head off for Newport - but before descending on Tredegar House, we stopped off for brunch at the Cafe on the Corner....or Fanny's Rest Stop as it is in real life.   

 

      cafe.jpg      As you can see...although looks pretty much the same outside - inside is totally different.  Everything is in the right place, but it has a music theme with records stuck to the walls, a guitar and keyboard painted on the counter, etc......and the end of the counter has been extended.......       

 

cafe counter.jpg                

 

.......it just seemed so small!!  In the Cafe on the Corner they had bench                                                                                     seats which were back to back - having tables with chairscafe interior.jpg around them made it really crowded - and as it got busier (oh yes...they got really busy, especially with all of us in there!) it became quite difficult to get around the tables!      

 

 

 

 

It was incredibly satisfying, however, to see the blackboard on the wall, and the griddle behind the counter!

 

cafe blackboard.jpg       cafe cooking.jpg                  

 

Eventually they realised why we were there....and were very kind and understanding. lol!  They had some voting forms for a 'best cafe' competition on the counter, and, in exchange for us all filling out an entry (which I was happy to do....my fried egg was excellent, and they were really lovely people!) we all piled behind the counter for photos (well....a few of us couldn't actually fit - there really wasn't much space....and the poor bloke was still trying to cook!)  The lady really wanted us to pose for more photos around the cafe....but embarrassment levels were mounting at this point....and time was moving on - Tredegar was calling.  So we left.....



-- Edited by fifi on Sunday 18th of August 2013 10:34:25 AM

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UJ
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Now I feel there should be a Puppet Hal Theatre.

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fifi
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UJ - you are so right!  There really should be!!



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domino l - l - l
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UJ wrote:

Now I feel there should be a Puppet Hal Theatre.

 THIS. MUST. HAPPEN.

 

forget re-enactments, we want fan-fic puppetry!



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UJ
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I wondered what your reception at the caf would be like, since the owners didn't want to continue as a location. Glad they were happy to have you.

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fifi
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UJ - as I understand it....the owners of the cafe were intending to re-fit at the time when s4 was filmed, but by the time s5 was filmed they had completed the work - not only would they have had to shut the cafe for filming to take place, but it would've been virtually impossible (or, at least, very expensive) for it to have been re-dressed as the Cafe on the Corner....and then returned to it's present decor. 



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UJ
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I'd heard they would have found it inconvenient, not the actual reason why, so thanks for the explanation, fifi.

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domino l - l - l
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wow fifi thank you for continuing to share this amazing experience with us all, and another beautiful post too!

It gives me very fond Series 4 memories.Is it wrong that I scanned for teaspoons, eggs, sugar sachets, ketchup bottles, red and white striped aprons, Nuts magazine and the leg length of chairs?

Would love to see the behind the counter photo of you all! did anyone reenact this?



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fifi
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I do recall somebody getting quite excited about a tray of eggs....and there was talk of asking to borrow a mop!  Unfortunately that end of the counter (in your screencap) isn't there....and the space behind the counter was still pretty limited.  Although they were really very accommodating, and even offered to take individual pics, it really was quite busy - I'm not sure that anyone was quite that brave!

I'm off out soon....but hopefully will do Barry later....might have to split day 3 - there is just so much in Barry (have I mentioned how much I love it there?!)



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fifi
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Day 3  - Barry!  Although I had visited most of the Barry locations when we went back in April, I was still unbelievably excited to be going back again.

Our first stop was the pub (lol!) - The Castle Hotel - where Puttin on the Ritz and the fight scene were filmed.  The pub was shut but we had hoped that they were expecting us...they weren't!  There was a man sweeping up outside who went and got the landlady - she came to the door in her dressing gown, but very kindly let us in!  (what lovely people they all are in South Wales!) So we were let loose, in an empty bar where my all time favourite scenes - from anything - were filmed.

There were a lot of re-enactments (including the full ".....pause for giggles                                                                                 speech), ritz giggles.jpgsinging, twiddling of pool cues, posing for pics and general excitment!  A couple of people may have even lay on the bar...although no-one actually tried to walk over a chair....    

 

 

While all of this was going on, the guy who had been sweeping up outside kept wandering around behind the bar.  He obviously thought we were all totally deranged...but eventually decided that we were harmless and began to chat.  (....the inevitable Gavin and Stacey conversation ...)  I must admit that in my general state of excitement  I didn't really register a lot of what he said....I remember him telling us that they didn't use the pub pool table, but bought in their own prop (...again I guess that's obvious - but you just don't think about it, do you?)                                    

       

ritz bar.jpg      

 

 

I think he said that the only other change made for filming was they covered up the mirrors behind the bar......so that Hal didn't get reflected in them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We eventually tore ourselves away and to the next location - Honolulu Heights.  We were split between 3 cars, and I was one of the first to arrive...and literally heard the squeeing from the other cars before I even saw them coming down the road!  It's really quite surreal to be standing outside a house which is so familiar - despite the lack of blinds, sunshades, sign and the red front door (instead of black) - it was strangely satisfying to see a hanging basket by the door, though!  I had to keep reminding myself that it is actually somebody's home....  And Regis was right - it really is steeper than it looks!!

hh.jpg        hh hill.jpg

 

 

Next stop - Barry high street and the pawn shop....which was closed (again!). 

 

pawnshop hal.jpg

 

 

 

So we peered through the windows, posed for more pics,                     

did a bit more scene filming, and generally hung around.      

 

 

 

 

Our final stop of the morning, before hitting Barry Island for lunch and frolics by the sea, was the place where Hal and Crumb literally bumped into each other.......which - oddly - is right opposite Alex's house in Scotland.

 

crumb corner.JPG          Alex house.JPG

                   The red car on the far right of this picture is the same one as on the right of this picture.

And yes - some of us did stand in middle of the road saying "now we're in Barry....now we're in Scotland......"!  So then we ran down the hill (no we didn't!!) and down the steps to the spot where crumb got hit by the car....

 

crumb road.JPG

 

 

Had to be done, really....didn't it!                                       

 

 

 



-- Edited by fifi on Wednesday 21st of August 2013 01:38:58 AM



-- Edited by fifi on Wednesday 21st of August 2013 01:43:00 AM

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UJ
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Delightfully mental! Thanks so much for sharing, fifi.

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fifi
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Thanks UJ - glad you're enjoying my ramblings..... yes - it was all totally mental, and I'm having a great time re-living it here! (does it show?)



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Londonlaura
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Loving your write-ups Fifi. I'm reliving the moments all over again.

Just to let people know that both the owner of the cafe and the barman at the Ritz cafe gave me their phone numbers and said any Being Human fans who want to come and visit should give them a ring in advance (not to shut up & run away!) but to be better prepared and have any photos ready etc. If you want the numbers then DM me.

Oh and I had a photo taken behind the counter and saw the clock had been moved to the kitchen so asked if I could go in and take photos of it. The food in there is lovely, so I would recommend a meal in the cafe and the drinks were really cheap at the pub too.





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Su Hemming
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Here is my blog on the events of the field trip for those interested :)

diaryofabeinghumanfan.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/the-ultimate-being-human-field-trip/

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domino l - l - l
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@fifi I am running out of words to describe how amazing your posts ar fifi! wahhh!!

Seeing all those familiar locations and your re-enactments is incredible so I ca only imagine how awesome a time you all had. what lovely, dedicated fans you all are, seeing all the pics gives me warm feelings in my heart!hug

the bar! Brookesey posted some pics of her on the bar on her twitter, which were also fabulous!

Did anyone see you all re exacting that Crumb recruitment scene from S5 Ep1? more saliva darling more! action
despite their changes, all of the locations still look very like they do in the programme. I hope all of the buildings and locations have pics up of the scenes that were filmed there, I know I would have!

Forgot to comment on the interior pics of Tradegar House....that may have bee the biggest thrill for me had i been able to be there. The period costumes ad the whole ambiance of the place... I will never forget the first time we saw tweedy Hal bowing!

@Su Yay! at last, time to sit and read your wonderful blog, such a brilliant record of your trip, and more incredible photos, thank you for sharing them! I love that reenactment of the 3 of you outside 'The Barry Grand', check out that pout!

I hope the BH peeps get to see all of the photos you all shared, it is a a lovely way to honour Being Human. halyes

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