THE spotlight falls on South Brent as it features as one of the locations in the film released this week ‘ The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry ‘

But chairman of the parish council Cllr Glyn Richards said it wasn’t the first time in recent years that the village has starred on the screen:

‘’Some scenes were shot for ‘The Trouble’ with Maggie Cole starring Dawn French in the community centre which was transformed into a school,” he said.

It was a comedy drama which premiered on ITV in 2020.

It was set in the coastal village of Thurlbury and French played a busybody who considered herself to be a ‘local historian’. Her husband Peter was the headmaster of the local primary school. Much of the filming took place in the South Hams especially in Noss Mayo. Burgh Island and Bigbury-on-Sea were also locations used in the filming.

‘’I didn’t see the shooting of the latest film’’ said Cllr Richards ‘‘but I know it took place outside ‘The Village Shop in Station Road.’’

Cllr Richards believes the film could bring benefits to the village: ‘’I’m hoping it will bring more visitors to the village.

‘’Ivybridge calls itself the Gateway to the Moors but we’re closer, the true gateway.

‘’We’re on the National Cycle network and have an array of local independent shops as well as the Coop.

‘’Sadly our last remaining pub had to close but you can still get a drink in the former Conservative Club.’’

Read the full story about the film starring South Brent on page 5