In this day and age, with pubs going under at an alarming rate due to the vicious economic policies of the Labour Party, the release of the film Mother’s Pride is very timely. The film features a struggling West Country pub (with Martin Clunes playing the landlord) which manages to turn its fortunes around by brewing its own real ale, which is entered into the Great British Beer Awards, pitting itself against a rival pub.
The village of Norton St Philip in Somerset provided the location for the main pub in the film, the George Inn, and the rival pub, the Drovers Arms. The real life George Inn plays its namesake, while the Fleur de Lys plays the part of the Drovers Arms. The streets of this charming village are also seen in the film, including the scene depicting the village fete, which is set up between the George and the church of St Philip and St James.
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| NortonStPhilipTheGeorge. Photo by Rodhullandemu, via Wikimedia Commons. |
Westbury and environs are also seen in the film. The station scene was filmed at Westbury station, while the famous white horse etched into an escarpment to the east of the town is also featured. The local press reported that a couple visiting the site ran into Martin Clunes while he was filming there, and described him as very nice.
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| Paragliding above Westbury White Horse - geograph.org.uk - 539764. Photo by Chris Downer, via Wikimedia Commons. |
Back in the 80s, there was a large venue at Bristol Harbourside where beer and wine festivals were held, which always made for a fun day out. In Mother’s Pride there is a nod to those times, as the Great British Beer Festival is filmed in the same area, specifically at the Aquarium.
Bristol Harbourside.
Norton St Philip lies midway between Bath and Frome. It was an important centre for the wool trade during the Middle Ages, and its church dates from the 14th century. The Westbury White Horse, clearly visible from the trains moving through the area, is the oldest of eight white horses in Wiltshire, dating from around the late 17th or early 18th century. The Bristol Harbourside venue that used to host beer and wine fairs is no longer there, but it has been replaced by a large array of bars and restaurants, while the aquarium that featured in the film lies just behind the waterfront in another space given over to eating, drinking and entertainment.