"The Longshoot"

[Doltrice]

Has Ian got a CAS email to prove its really CAS and not some one trying it on? I have a CAS email. 

[Mike of CAS]

Yours is a fan club email, not as posh.

[Heathbury The First]

Right... not sure if this will help or not...

Spoke to Tony Adams today - He got onto Jane and asked the question about the location. She couldn't really remember as she only filmed in the car park - but she thought it was a motel near Nuneaton on the A5 (which fits the Longshoot). She did have a guess at "north something" as the name - but that was a guess.

So there you go. Maybe.


I'll do some more digging

[Mike of CAS]

Still waiting for ITV to see if they have a wider shot.

[Mike of CAS]

"The idea for Crossroads came from a sign advertising one of the first UK motels - 'The Open Country Motel' at North Gorley, Fordingbridge – which was noticed by Peter Ling when traveling."

However thats near southhampton so that 'North' is no doubt a co-incidece. Unless she's remembering the place Peter Ling spoke of, of course.

[Doltrice]

The Part 2 caption photo must have been taken later. There is what looks to be a flagpole behind the middle lower building. That, if a pole, suggests the back of the real motel is the front of the fake motel.

[Hampstead]

These two people,who are they? It looks to me like the bloke with the trilby is Derek Farr and the other guy is Vincent Ball (Kevin MaCarther)

[Mike of CAS]

Spot on, it is both of them. I'm pretty sure that the 'backside' of the motel in this instance is somewhere in the Impney as it features later on as the Crossroads Restaurant of all things!

[Maria No. 1.]

I can't remember the Crossroads Restaurant being featured in the b/w episodes.  All I can remember are Timothy and Kevin having the bet over Meg, and Dave Cartwright overhearing it.  And also Meg with the plants.

I'll probably re-watch the episodes just to see if I can spot anything that hasn't already been mentioned out of curiosity.  I am interested in the Impney posing as the Restaurant.  I know we see the Impney for real when Hugh proposes to Meg and also at the Wedding Reception.

[Mike of CAS]

I'm swayed to thinking Cherrytrees may have been used for the 1981 stuff (we shall see!) as this place may have not been willing. Either that or those photos from 1970-71 are the re-location to XX Motel from Cherrytrees. The person originally said Cherrytrees 'got sick' so that makes more sense that it was the 60s location - it wasn't a motel getting sick that made the 1982 change.

The chimneys we can see one maybe the same as seen in the 1970s photo. The only thing that is causing me a problem with Tobylongshoot is the car reflection that shows an old building then the new 1960s bit. and lots of land/trees around.

ITV Wise I spoken to our photo library in the south and we have a lovely shot of the Golden Valley from above covering all the land taken by ATV in 1981 - no earlier as yet.

The restaurant in the 'studio set of the motel' Sandy asks someone to put the menu up in the restaurant (or was it bar) and later you see that sign behind Meg and Kevin, which is clearly the grand Impney, not a set. (its also surviving as the bar/restaurant in a colour episode)

[Mike of CAS]

Nolly must have been 'on holiday' so they pre-recorded a load of inserts with her to shove in episodes across that time.

They knew viewers rang in if Meg didn't appear so it was probs done to not have to deal with all that.

Although she is back in time for the currently mis-placed salon scene with Jill and Vera at the end of the week.

Also thinking this is interesting "Whitestone is a suburban area of Nuneaton located approximately 2 miles (3 km) south-east of the town centre. The vast majority of properties in Whitestone are the result of extensive developments from the 1960s onwards."

[Maria No. 1.]

Thanks for that info Mike about the Restaurant.  Just thinking it is around 2 years since I looked at those b/w episodes when 1.1 was first issued.  I can only remember certain little bits.

I'd heard too about viewers used to ring up asking where Meg was, shows how popular she was.

[Maria No. 1.]

The restaurant in the 'studio set of the motel' Sandy asks someone to put the menu up in the restaurant (or was it bar) and later you see that sign behind Meg and Kevin, which is clearly the grand Impney, not a set. (its also surviving as the bar/restaurant in a colour episode)

Just been watching it. 

Sandy asks the Waitress to display a sign in the alcove, the other side of the building he says.  The sign is a `Crossroads Motel' sign - `Fully Licensed Restaurant, Morning Coffee, Ladies Hairdressing Salon and Service Garage'.  And the sign is there behind Meg and Kevin when they are sat down having a drink.  I must say the `set' does look a little grander than normal, that would explain it being the Impney. 

On the DVD, I must say that Eps. 126 is the episode I have watched the most but I have watched that episode more than a couple of times and never thought anything different.  I think perhaps its because I'm busy watching Meg and Kevin, and not the background.

When I think of the Chateau Impney I think of the grand staircase.  So thanks for that Mike.

[Mark]

Hello all - long time no see...

Anyway - whilst driving round the country the other day I happened to pass "The Longshoot Hotel" - I know on the official site is says that Alan Coleman said it was in Oxford - but the Longshoot is most certainly in Nuneaton ( a stonesthrow from Brum City Centre). Anyway - here are pictrues of the Longshoot motel - which does indeed stand on a crossroads. Enjoy

HTF

It has a very retro look to it.

[Mike of CAS]

I remember the Longshoot saying to us ages ago about when they confirmed they'd been used as Crossroads, saying "but the buildings have changed A Lot since then". At the time I thought that was just a 'yeah we say we're Crossroads just to get trade, but covering it with 'renovation' as an excuse' (as Penns Hall does get trade too via its TV link)

If that place used to have a house on it, or if that old building is the house in the reflection - and some of the 60s buildings have been demolished. I'm open to think TLS is the place of the 1970s.

Anyone want to club together to get a 1981 Benny-run-down episode out of ITN Source?!