Filming Information for Residents

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General information for residents

Thanks to its range of desirable locations and close proximity to Teddington Studios, Shepperton Studios and central London production facilities, the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a popular place for flim-makers.

Filming can provide many benefits to our community:

• It projects Kingston upon Thames to the world and helps attract tourism and business
• The filming industry forms a very important part of London's economy - the 'creative industries' (which includes filming) currently employs half a million people and are responsible for one in every five new jobs in London
• When 'on location' in Kingston upon Thames, production crews invest directly in the local economy by using local shops, cafes and hotels.

That is why Kingston upon Thames promotes itself to film-makers as a 'film friendly borough'.

However, we are also committed to ensuring that the benefits of filming in the borough are balanced with the need to minimise any potential disruption to residents and local businesses that filming can bring.

To help us achieve this balance, the Council has adopted a filming policy that sets out how we will manage filming in the Royal Borough.  

How do we deal with filming enquiries?

Filming enquiries are handled by the Council's Media Officers, who are based in the Communications Unit at the Guildhall. The Communications Unit can help film makers with all sorts of requests.

• Locations - Sometimes, film-makers ask us for advice on suitable locations in the borough. They will explain what they are looking for and, using our local knowledge, we will suggest some locations that may meet their requirements.  We are currently developing a 'locations database' that film-makers will shortly be able to view on this web site.
• Parking - We help film makers with their parking requirements, ranging from the temporary suspension of pay and display bays through to using Council-owned car parks for production vehicles. The Council charges production companies for these services.
• Technical site visits - If a production is of a significant size, or is likely to create a disturbance or inconvenience of some other type, the Council will often attend a site visit with the film-maker. This is sometimes called a 'recce'. The site visit will allow the Council to gain a detailed idea of what it is the film-maker is hoping to do and discuss any problems that this may cause.
• Permission to film - The Council can grant (or refuse) permission to film in a number of locations across the borough. In the pedestrianised area of Kingston Town Centre, this includes Clarence Street and the Market Place. However, we are not able to give or refuse permission to film in the Bentall Centre or Eden Walk as these are privately owned. We are also limited in our control over filming on the public highway.  Film-makers have the right to be on the public highway or footway provided they do not make a nuisance of themselves, cause a disturbance, obstruct others from going about their business or cause a hazard.

Approved filming is backed up with a 'Licence to Film' which is issued by the Communications Unit. Film-makers are asked to ensure that they always have the Licence to Film on their person when on location.

Promoting your property to film-makers as a 'film-friendly location'

The Council's Communications Unit currently only handles filming enquiries relating to Council-owned properties (such as libraries, schools and the Guildhall), Kingston Town Centre, parks and the public highway. But, sometimes, film-makers are looking for residential properties in which to film in.  If you are interested in promoting your property to film-makers, please contact Film London on 020 7387 8787 or visit the Film London website (under Related External Links below). Film London keeps a database of film-friendly private properties in London.  

Film-makers who use a private property for a production are also asked to notify the Communications Unit so that the Council can assist with any parking requirements.

Further Information

If you have a concern about filming that is taking place in the borough, or if you have any other comments or feedback on filming in the Kingston upon Thames, please contact the Council's Media Office:

• Wendy Pogson
  Tel: 020 8547 4709
  Email: wendy.pogson@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
• Gail Daly
  Tel: 020 8547 5016
  Email: gail.daly@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
• John Haynes
  Tel: 020 8547 4710
  Email: john.haynes@rbk.kingston.gov.uk