UK riverside city likened to Hollywood by film directors is tipped to be big in 2024
A RIVERSIDE city in the north of England has been likened to ‘Hollywood’ because of its booming film and television industry.
At the end of last year, Hull was named one of the best places to visit in 2024 by Time Out.
Bristol pinched the top spot, thanks to its bustling nightlife and cultural attractions, while Hull took second place.
Hull has long been a magnet for British holidaymakers, thanks to its architecture and thriving arts scene — but it has also been the butt of a number of jabs and jokes.
Over twenty years ago, Hull was called the “worst city” in a controversial book that named the 50 worst places to live in the UK.
But it is enjoying something of a renaissance with tourists part in thanks to its thriving film industry.
The riverside city has earned the moniker “Hullywood” thanks to its blossoming film and TV industry.
According to Helen Thackeray, the film and location manager for Hull, the city deserves the nickname as it’s been used as the backdrop for Netflix productions like The Crown and Enola Holmes 2.
Helen told Sun Online Travel: “It’s one of those things where people look for nicknames.
“It was a little bit of locals saying we’ve turned into Hollywood and a little bit of our way of promoting ourselves.
“And some of the directors came in and started calling us it [Hullywood], it’s very much being used as the terminology, so it worked for us all really.”
In a bid to celebrate the city’s new-found nickname, a “Hullywood” walking trail has been introduced.
The new route helps locals and visitors stand in the footsteps of stars like Henry Cavill, Millie Bobby Brown, Peter Capaldi and Dev Patel who have all been spotted filming in the city.
It Must Be Hullywood is a free walking trail that can be downloaded via the Visit Hull website, here.
The two-hour walking route features 11 productions that were filmed across the city, including six spots in the city centre.
Helen added: “What we’ve done is given people key points of reference so that they can stand there and know that they are standing in the doorway of the Shop of Curiosities from The Personal History of David Copperfield.
“And they can be standing in the same place that Enola Holmes (played by Millie Bobby Brown) jumped off the roof in the film.
“It’s so people can see themselves in the scape of the film.”
It was a little bit of locals saying we’ve turned into Hollywood
Acclaimed film director Steve McQueen isn’t a stranger to Hull, choosing to use the city as the backdrop for his new movie Blitz, starring Saoirse Ronan and Stephen Graham.
Actress Caroline Quentin, known for her roles in Men Behaving Badly and Jonathan Creek, is just another one of Hull’s fans.
According to Helen, the British actress has visited Hull with family and friends for weekends away.
In addition to the brand-new It must be Hullywood walking trail, there are plenty of other things to do in Hull.
Later this year, the city will be used as a backdrop for a Bollywood production.
Things to do in Hull
One of those is the Deep, which is one described as one of he country’s best aquariums.
Located in a dramatic building overlooking the Humber estuary, the award-winning attraction is listed as the top thing to do on Hull’s TripAdvisor list.
Inside the aquarium, visitors will be able to see sharks, turtles, penguins, and the UK’s only Green sawfish.
But the Deep isn’t the city’s only famous landmark, there’s also the Humber Bridge, which holds the record as the longest single-span suspension bridge that can be walked or cycled over in the world.
Other local attractions include the Streetlife Museum of Transport, a free exhibit that transports visitors to the 1940s and the East Riding Museum of Archaeology.
There’s also Hull Minster, which is the largest parish church in England by floor area.
And Hull isn’t the only location in the UK that’s been compared to an American holiday destination.
Skegness
The traditional seaside town of Skegness has been likened to Las Vegas because of its arcades, nightlife and sandy beaches.
Dubbed “Skeg Vegas” by locals, the town of Skegness in Lincolnshire has slot machines and a busy nightlife with cabaret performances.
In honour of the town’s title, a local business owner spent £36,000 installing a replica Las Vegas sign with the inscription: “Welcome to Fabulous Skeg Vegas, not in Nevada.”
According to ITV News, Skegness Raceway Stadium said: “We decided to put a smile on everyone’s face and put something back into the community, oh and also light up the sky!”
The light-up billboard became an internet sensation with tourists flocking from across the globe to take a photo in front of the flashing lights.
And Cefn Sidan Beach has been compared to the coastline of California.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, a number of sandy beaches have been dubbed the “California of Europe”.