Liverpool takes advantage of its status as the most popular location for TV shows and movie-makers outside London by encouraging production crews to ‘give something back’ to local communities. Tony McDonough reports

TV and film crews using Liverpool as a backdrop for their productions are being envisaged to “give something back” to the communities where they film,

Liverpool is the most filmed city in the UK outside of London and has provided locations for numerous high-profile films and TV shows over the last few years. They include BBC hit drama Peaky Blinders and Hollywood blockbuster The Batman.

Now Liverpool Film Office has launched the Film Friendly Neighbourhoods scheme, which means that productions which film in residential areas are encouraged to give something back to that community.

Any funding is to be invested in local good causes or pooled into a central pot of money which can be used to fund significant improvements to a particular area.

The first area to benefit is Falkner Square, where productions such as Peaky Blinders, Outlander, Tin Star and many others have all filmed.

Each production has donated funding and, following engagement with Cllr Nathalie Nicholas and the Film Office, an accessible chess table has been installed along with new signage, bins and a community noticeboard.

The Film Office has been developing the project for a number of years, and to date nearly £130,000 has been donated to charity or invested in good causes across Liverpool city region.

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Some donations for areas can be pooled together with other funding sources – for example, Section 106 monies and/or the Local Neighbourhood Fund – to invest in larger projects which benefit the community.

Falkner Square is one of these examples, and combining the Film Friendly Neighbourhoods money, Section 106 and Local Neighbourhood Fund has facilitated lighting improvements, fence repainting, drainage and new paving in the area.

If financial funding isn’t an option, productions will be asked to undertake ‘in kind’ activity for residents, schools or community groups such as talks and sessions about types of roles available in the film and TV industry.

In 2024/25, 263 productions were filmed across Liverpool city region and there were 1,254 filming days bringing in an estimated £34.8m economic impact and supporting 1,129 direct and indirect jobs.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “Liverpool’s screen industry is a huge asset to our city—not just economically, but culturally and socially.

“With the Film Friendly Neighbourhoods initiative, we’re making sure that the benefits of this booming sector are felt directly by the communities who host these productions.”