Hemel Hempstead pharmacy stars in new Paddington film

Gadebridge Pharmacy in Hemel Hempstead features in the widely anticipated third Paddington film, Paddington in Peru.

Our film office were delighted to assist Marmalade Films with their plans to use the pharmacy for a scene with Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville) in August 2023.

During filming, the production transformed the pharmacy into Portobello Chemist, Paddington’s local Notting Hill chemist. The production’s art department added a London red phone box outside, and dressed the pharmacy window with summery offers and mosquito repellent promotions. 

Kerry Evans, who works in the pharmacy, said that the shop was very busy days before they filming began as they changed the shelves and items for sale. As a small thank you for hiring the pharmacy, Kerry was presented with a jar of Paddington’s own marmalade.

Director Dougal Wilson was spotted outside the location with Hugh Bonneville, discussing each scene, and filming began very early, so that the community could still go in and collect their prescriptions. 

During filming, the name of the production was kept secret, but on close inspection Paddington in Peru could be spotted on the directors’ chairs. Some local shoppers were able to catch a glimpse of the filming in progress. 

Amy Greenland, our Filming Lead Officer, said: “It is fantastic when big film productions film outside the studios. It is so interesting and exciting to see how films are made and everything that goes into each scene. It was lovely for the community of Hemel Hempstead to get to see a bit of the action, and hopefully people from further afield will come and see where it all happened, too!

"The list of very famous actors and actresses we have had visit our towns and villages is very impressive, and the impacts from having our locations used in films and TV are very positive for the local economy.”

Find out more about filming in the borough on our Filming in Dacorum page.