By Valerie Elliott, Consumer Editor
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A weekend break in Slough to soak up the location of Ricky Gervais's The Office, or a day trip to Guildford to spot landmarks from Four Weddings and a Funeral are among the suggestions from tourism chiefs as “have a laugh” holiday destinations around Britain.
Binley Woods, Coventry - home of Hyacinth Bucket of Keeping up Appearances - and Billericay, the Essex stamping ground of Gavin from Gavin and Stacey fame, are also among the attractions listed by VisitBritain as part of ComedyEngland.
The tourism body, which had success last year with its campaign to encourage “set-jetting” to locations of blockbuster films such as The Da Vinci Code, says that 40 per cent of all visits around Britain are inspired by scenes shown on TV and in films.
The most visited places for comic nostalgia are expected to be Torquay, location for Fawlty Towers, Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, setting for Last of the Summer Wine, Turville in the Chilterns, the parish made famous by The Vicar of Dibley, Norwich, home to Steve Coogan's I'm Alan Partridge, and Cricket St Thomas, Somerset, the village where Peter Bowles and Penelope Keith filmed To the Manor Born.
Other locations on the comedy trail are Kettlewell, North Yorkshire, where the 2003 film Calendar Girls was based, Scarborough, where Jane Horrocks shot Little Voice, and the Dad's Army marching ground of Thetford, Norfolk.
Laurence Bresh, marketing manager at VisitBritain, said: “England is renowned for producing some of the best comedy in the world and our sense of humour is a trait that the English are famous for.”
Journeys to Liverpool, to see the Knotty Ash home of Ken Dodd, and to Moses Street, where Arthur Askey was born, are highlighted. Another suggested trip is to Morecambe to see Eric Morecambe's statue.
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There's a new book out which contains details of loads of TV locations. It is called The British Television Location Guide and you can get it from www.splendidbooks.co.uk
Jenny, Waterlooville, UK
Agreed Melissa, I can't wait to start my Trek through the foothills around the many roundabouts of Sluff er sorry Slough.
Hope the wildlife isn't too dangerous hmmm maybe better to pitch basecamp before the pubs chuck out......
Ethan, nr dole farm, uk
Yes, great slogan......
"Slough isn't that bad.....and it's getting better!"
......get ready for those tourists!!
Tim, Nelson, New Zealand
I was going to take issue with Slough being listed as a 'have a laugh' holiday destination ... but after reading Melissa's closing comment , quite clearly the place is full of comedians . So I will let it pass ... for now .
Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,
Having grown up in the Thames Valley, I'd say most towns along the M4 are pretty bad starting with Hounslow and ending in Swindon, but the area around Slough is full of TV sites as its very close to Pinewood Studios. For example the real Fawlty Towers (in Bourne End) is just down the road.
Ken, Brisbane, Australia
I really do hate it when people make fun of Slough..
It may have its bad parts but so does every other town! Why is it that Windsor is never mentioned just because its the home of the queen and everyone is supposed to be so 'posh??'
Slough isnt that bad and its getting better!
Melissa, Slough, United Kingdom