Brassic is back, and better than ever. Set in Hawley, a fictional Lancashire town, Brassic follows the lives of Vinnie (Joseph Gilgun) and Dylan (Damien Molony), who have grown up together and are inseparable. When Dylan’s girlfriend wants to move in search of a better life for her and her child, Dylan must face the hardest decision of his life – but which filming locations were used for Brassic?
Starring the likes of Michelle Keegan, Ryan Sampson and Joe Gilgun, Brassic has been filmed all over Lancashire and Greater Manchester, and the most recent series is no exception. Plenty of locals have noticed filming taking place, and we’re here to give you the low down on thefilming locations used for Brassic, including the brand new series six.
Which filming locations were used for Brassic?
Hawley – Bacup, Rossendale Valley
The gang’s fictional home of Hawley is actually in the Rossendale Valley, on the south eastern Lancashire border near Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, specifically the town of Bacup. It has become a home away from home for the Brassic cast, who love returning to the town with each new series, as do the locals.
The Crow’s Nest pub – The Star & Garter pub, City Centre
The gang’s go-to hangout, The Crow’s Nest pub, is actually the Star & Garter, in central Manchester, right next to Manchester Piccadilly and Mayfield Depot, of Warehouse Project theme. The kooky pub is a favourite of locals and visitors alike, has been mentioned in songs by the likes of Courteeners, and even hosts its own events. It’s no surprise that the Brassic cast call it a home from home.
Vinnie’s Shack – Arley Hall Woods/Bolton woodland
Vinnie’s shack has moved a bit since the series first started. The shack was originally built in the woodlands in Bolton, but from series three it was moved to the woods near Arley Hall in Cheshire. Writer and co-creator Danny Brocklehurst put the move down to ease of filming, but it’s pretty interesting how seamless the move was.
Dr Cox’s Surgery – Frederick Road Campus at Salford University
The crew have to travel a little further south for Vinnie’s appointments with Dr Cox. The surgery is actually filmed in Salford, specifically the Frederick Road Campus at Salford University, proving the vast scale on which Brassic is filmed.
Jim’s Farm – Burnley
Crazy Farmer Jim’s farm is a real working farm, and it’s just on the other side of the beautiful Forest of Bowland, found on the outskirts of Burnley. Safely inside Lancashire, this rural Burnley spot shows some of the loveliest countryside around, and isn’t too far for the crew to travel – even if it plays a weed farm.
The Wedding – Haigh Hall, Wigan
Spoiler alert: the gang steals an entire wedding, and the stately home they attempted to embezzle the event from was Haigh Hall in Wigan. The crew returned to the area surrounding the historic country house in season four to shoot an episode in the woods, but if you’ve seen the episode, you’ll most likely recognise a few bits from around the beautiful historical home and woodland.
Erin’s House – Ashton-under-Lyne
Erin’s House is closer to Manchester than Lancashire, in Ashton-under-Lyne. A classic suburban area, Ashton is the perfect place to put Erin, a cash-strapped single mum – even if it rings mildly unrealistic given her lovely view of rolling hills from the house.
Traveller’s Site – Salford, near AJ Bell Stadium
Ashley’s traveller site has moved a bit between series. For the first two series it was located at Eastlands with the iconic gas cylinders in the background. For series three onwards, the caravans were moved along to Salford, naturally. Locals will immediately recognise it as the area near the AJ Bell Stadium, with the M60 visible in the background.
Molden Pier – North Pier, Blackpool
The fifth season of Brassic sees Erin lead a daring raid on an amusement arcade on a pier from her hometown. Molden Pier, as it’s called in the show, is fictional. However, the scenes were in fact shot at Blackpool’s North Pier – the oldest and longest of the seaside town‘s three piers. As well as the amusements, eagle eyed viewers will also be able to pick out the pier’s iconic sunset lounge and theatre.
Accrington football club
One of the most famous images from Brassic, at the top of the article in fact, comes from a scene filmed at Accrington Stanley‘s home ground, the Crown Ground. The cast cheer in the crowd in what is a truly northern environment, cementing Brassic firmly in the region.
Cenetta Italian, Rochdale
A gorgeous Italian restaurant in Rochdale also played host to the cast and crew of Brassic, with Cenetta‘s incredible stone carved bar visible in the background. The scene sees a beautifully dressed up Michelle Keegan make a big entrance, and serves as a lovely advert for the restaurant.
The happenings throughout Brassic are based on star and co-creator Joe Gilgun’s upbringing in his hometown of Chorley, Lancashire. He’s reluctant to compare much of the series to Chorley, but since the show is semi-autobiographical, we can infer a fair bit… although we must say, Chorley is lovely, in our experience.
You can watch series six, and every episode of Brassic on Sky Max here.