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The Effect of Broadchurch on Local Economy

Broadchurch was an eight-part crime drama for TV which centred on the murder of an 11-year-old boy. It was one of the most gripping pieces of television in years as the nation agonised over who committed the murder. The ITV network commissioned the program and televised it. It included stars like David Tennant from Doctor Who.

 

And now what has been dubbed as the ‘Broadchurch effect’ is sweeping across Dorset and the stunning West Bay. Companies like Dream Cottages have reported revenues are up and the county has experienced many changes since the TV show.

 

Tourism on the Rise

Just like with any successful TV show, the places where it was shot become cult locations for fans of the show. It adds another attraction to the Dorset coast. Tourism has risen rapidly in West Dorset. And people aren’t just passing through Dorset on the way to the more popular beaches of Cornwall. They’re actively staying in homes within Dorset.

 

Bridport has benefited the most as it was the main location for Broadchurch. It isn’t just the fact a major TV show was shot here. The fact is Dorset remains a mystery for many people. Everyone talks about Cornwall and Devon without mentioning Dorset. The beautiful shots of the coast have opened people’s eyes, and many are now actively considering the county as a viable holiday destination for the first time.

 

A Pop Culture Icon

Everybody loves a good mystery just because it plays on our natural curiosities, which everyone has. Dorset has since become a place for pop culture. Bridportis somewhat of a centre for the arts in Dorset, but now more people are travelling here to get a taste for the community and what it has to offer.

 

Overnight, it’s turned Dorset into a viable location for other films and TV shows. In fact, at the end of the first season of Broadchurch a caption indicated the return of a second season centring on a new murder. Indeed, a second season later was revealed to be in production.

 

This has only intensified the interest in and around Dorset.

 

An Injection of Cash

If someone wants to film anything in Britain they need to get the permission of the local council first. They’ll usually charge them a fee depending on the scope of the production and what it needs to get off the ground. The costs the production company paid to Dorset Council benefited the local community.

 

The council used the money to clean up Bridport and cover for some of the council cuts they were forced to make in the wake of the big austerity cuts coming from central government. This enhances the lives of everybody who lives in and around Dorset, specifically West Dorset.

 

It isn’t the first time Dorset has served as the setting for such a large TV production. It’s one of the first times its played host to something so popular. With another season of Broadchurch on the horizon, it’s highly likely the benefits listed above will intensify. The people of Dorset will gain even more from the show.

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