Peaky Blinders is a great triumph with a magnificent bespoke set design, and it’s a cult smash waiting to happen. With a cultural hallmark, the show’s intensity and impact leave viewers wanting more, and the show’s sweet-sour flavour is undoubtedly one of the reasons viewers are eager for more. When luminaries like David Bowie and Leonard Cohen contributed music to the BBC’s rough-chic criminal thriller, you know it’s at the pinnacle of greatness.
Peaky Blinders, which tells the tale of a Birmingham criminal family, is the one to watch — and not only because of the attractiveness of its lead actors!
Establishing sets include determining the appropriate location, agreeing on a plan, creating many locations, and selecting a style and décor. Grant Montgomery, the production designer for the first season of Peaky Blinders on Netflix, created 48 sets to mimic the Birmingham haunts of the Peaky Blinders. For the second season, he designed an incredible 120 sets to represent the progression of Tommy Shelby’s (cast) business activity.
The production staff is always on the ball when it comes to making things happen. The Liverpool Olympia, one of the locations chosen in the fourth season, is proof of it. The set is equipped with antique accessories, herbal cigarette smoke, and fashionable overcoats, and is styled to seem like a 1920s boxing stadium.
The streets of Birmingham are no longer the same as they were during the Victorian era, which presented a conundrum for site managers: where could they locate unspoiled 1920s architecture in 2019?
The Black Country Living Museum, an open-air museum in neighbouring Dudley with real-life models of cobblestone streets and dwellings from the industrial era, was the site of the filming. Stockport and Rossendale are two towns in Greater Manchester. Both sites have a lot of industrial-era architecture, so they’re perfect for the show’s darker themes. Because the neighbourhood has remained practically unaltered since the 1920s, Toxteth in Liverpool was also commonly utilised. The Camden headquarters of Alfie Solomons, played by Tom Hardy, was a derelict distillery in the Scouse capital, and Formby Beach may be seen during season four’s climactic climax clash.
The Eden Club was shot on location at a Liverpool nightclub with a massive white ceiling that hung low. The club was transformed with 30 gallons of gold paint, which was carefully prepared and is now known as “Peaky gold.” A dance floor and band stage were installed, as well as the ornate scorpion fretwork, which was a nod to Sabini’s role as the scorpion on Tommy’s back.
The gang’s headquarters were filmed in a dilapidated rummery in an ancient area of Liverpool, which was bursting at the seams with abandoned barrels of rum and spirits from all around the world.
Liverpool’s history may be traced back to the 11th century, with Liverpool Castle being the most ancient structure. Today, there are a few Tudor and Elizabethan structures in Liverpool. Speke Hall is a Grade I listed structure that is now held by the National Trust and is a famous tourist destination in Speke.
Croxteth Hall, another structure from that same period, is also well worth a visit. Woolton Hall, a remarkable example of Stuart architecture, may be seen in Liverpool. It’s a grade I listed manor home on the outskirts of town. Tuebrook House, a farmhouse erected in 1615, is perhaps the oldest from this period. You can’t get inside because it’s now owned by a local family, but you may drive past it at 695 West Derby Road.
Liverpool benefited greatly from the growth of the port in the 17th century. This was the era when Georgian homes began to spring up, many of which are still standing today. John Wood the Elder created Liverpool Town Hall, which is now a magnificent specimen of Georgian architecture. Because of the large number of physicians that live on Rodney Street, it is nicknamed as the “Harley Street of the North.” It’s a beautiful example of Georgian architecture, and these homes sell for a lot of money nowadays.
Many Yorkshire landmarks were used in the award-winning production, including Leeds Town Hall, the majestic 18th century Newby Hall, and a disused textile mill. The city of Manchester is another Peaky Blinders destination, and fans will no doubt recall the scene in which Tommy meets his love interest May Carleton in the city’s breath-taking 18th-century baths.
Tommy’s legendary gunfight in season four also took place in Manchester, in the city’s Northern Quarter.
Of course, not everything was shot on the streets of the United Kingdom. Although many sequences were filmed at Leeds’ Studio 81, it’s astonishing to know that so much of the successful programme was shot in real-life locales around Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, and, of course, Birmingham!
References
Clayton, C., 2021. See Liverpool’s Stunning Architecture on our Peaky Blinders Tour. [online] Brit Movie Tours. Available at: <https://britmovietours.com/peaky-blinders/see-liverpools-stunning-architecture-on-our-peaky-blinders-tour/> [Accessed 6 June 2021].
Delightfull Blog. 2021. Inside The Screen: The Epic Set Design of Peaky Blinders. [online] Available at: <https://www.delightfull.eu/blog/2018/03/20/inside-the-screen-the-epic-set-design-of-peaky-blinders/> [Accessed 6 June 2021].
Nozari, A., 2021. This is where Peaky Blinders was really filmed. [online] HELLO!. Available at: <https://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/2019090877415/this-is-where-peaky-blinders-is-actually-filmed/> [Accessed 6 June 2021].
Sarda, M., 2021. Inside the spectacular sets of 5 trending Netflix shows. [online] Architectural Digest India. Available at: <https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/inside-the-spectacular-sets-of-5-netflix-shows/> [Accessed 6 June 2021].
