Locations: Brookside Close
According to the book ‘Life on the Close’, Phil Redmond explains that as part of the creation of the soap, it was decided to buy six real houses to form a permanent set. At the time there was a planned development on Lord Sefton’s old estate in Liverpool. Phil met with the builders and explained his ideas and saw the site plans. One particular cul-de-sac stood out which had a brook running next to it (hence the name!).
A deal was reached with the builders to buy the six houses and transform them into filming sets, along with another three houses for office-space, three for all the technical equipment and one more for a canteen. At the time they would have cost approximately £25,000 each.
At first there was no central heating in the houses, with the thought that the filming lights would give off enough heat. However the cast and crew were proved wrong and shivered for months, so eventually heating was installed. Garages were also later added to numbers 8, 9 and 10 – although they were mainly used to store more equipment.
Over the years there have various cosmetic changes to the interior and exterior of the houses as each family has come and gone along with extra foliage on the close. In 1991 a new pathway was added between numbers 8 and 9 to lead off to the Brookside Parade. In reality it just went to a dead end, with the Parade actually filmed some miles away at a completely different set.
Round the corner from the close there was a security hut and barrier to stop people from disrupting filming, but once the show ended and the houses were renovated into just ordinary houses, that was removed.
As of 2023, the close still exists and now just consists of normal houses, but many fans still make the pilgrimage to West Derby in Liverpool to reminisce over famous moments that took place over it’s 21 year history.
Number 5
- 1982 – 1989 – The Grants
- 1989 – 1994 – The Rogers
- 1994 – Simon Howe (The Cult)
- 1994 – 1995 – Barry Grant
- 1995 – Carl and Sarah Banks
- 1995 – 2001 – The Johnsons
- 1995 – 1997 – Thomas ‘Sinbad’ Sweeney
- 2002 – 2003 – The Gordons
Number 6
- 1982 – 1984 – Alan Partridge & Samantha Davis
- 1984 – 1985 – Harry and Edna Cross
- 1985 – 1989 – Harry Cross & Ralph Hardwick
- 1990 – 1993 – The Johnsons
- 1993 – 1995 – David and Jean Crosbie
- 1995 – 1997 – Jacqui Dixon, Katie Rogers, and Rachel Jordache
- 1997 – 1998 – Ron Dixon and David Crosbie
- 1998 – 2000 – The Shadwicks
- 2000 – 2003 – The Hiltons
Number 7
- 1983 – 1984 – Harry and Edna Cross
- 1984 – 1985 – Sandra Maghie, Pat Hancock & Kate Moses
- 1985 – 1987 – Sandra Maghie, Pat Hancock and Terry Sullivan
- 1987 – 1989 – The Rogers
- 1989 – 1990 – The Chois
- 1990 – 2002 – The Farnhams (Max & Patricia/Susannah/Jacqui)
- 2002 – 2003 – The Dixons
Number 8
- 1982 – 1990 – The Collins
- 1990 – 1993 – The Dixons
- 1993 – 1997 – Ron Dixon & Bev McLoughlin
- 1997 – 1998 – The O’Learys and Sinbad
- 1998 – 2000 – The Musgroves
- 2000 – 2002 – Mike and Rachel, Ron and Anthea Dixon
- 2002 – 2003 – Max and Jacqui Farnham
- 2003 – Jack Michaelson
Number 9
- 1982 – 1983 – Heather and Roger Huntington
- 1983 – 1986 – Heather Haversham (Maiden name)
- 1986 – Heather and Nicholas Black
- 1987 – Jonathan Gordon-Davies and Laura Wright
- 1987 – 1990 – Jonathan with Terry Sullivan as lodger
- 1990 – 1992 – Terry and Sue Sullivan
- 1992 – 1994 – The Harrisons
- 1994 – 1996 – The Banks
- 1996 – 1998 – The Simpsons
- 1998 – 1999 – Ollie Simpson and Eleanor Kitson
- 1999 – 2000 – Lindsey Corkhill
- 1999 – 2000 – Nathan, Darren, Victoria, Jacqui
- 2000 – 2003 – The Murrays
Number 10
- 1982 – 1983 – Gavin and Petra Taylor
- 1983 – 1985 – The Jacksons
- 1985 – Terry Sullivan and Michelle Jones
- 1985 – 1993 – The Corkhills (Billy and family)
- 1993 – 1995 – The Jordaches and Sinbad
- 1995 – 2003 – The Corkhills (Jimmy and family)