Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Poirot Speaking: Well my friends it is a delight to be in your lovely town. Just because I am a short little fat Belgian it does not mean I am a philistine. No...I can appreciate greatness and being here in Dover I see greatness all around me. My little grey cells were working overtime in Dover last night trying to solve a ghastly grisly murder..a murder most horrible. There was so much blood that even I had to shield myself from its horrors. I clasped my highly scented handkershief to my nostrils the whole time and let Inspector Japp do most of the work..well mon ami..au revoir for the moment. I must get on with things. I cannot spend too much time out of my schedule talking to lowly websites like...ermm what is it called again..?!!
Cheek!
I am assuming it was Poirot. The floodlights lit up my flat like the proverbial beacon. Im sure I was visible all the way to Calais and maybe even in darkest Belgium..where little short fat detectives come from!
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
i thought they were filming around st margrets bay area.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
There was a large film unit at the Castle yesterday, not sure what for though...
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Ooooh.....I love Poirot.

Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
Yes, it's a sort of spy story. Outside scenes will be shot at the castle. The "war room" will be reconstructed at Elstree.
Not the first time Poirot has been to Dover. In an episode about the kidnapped prime minister, Poirot stayed at a seafront hotel, Harbour House! He then got in a car to board a destroyer at the docks. Must have been a long drive, I think that scene was shot at Portmouth!
I like Poirot, the 30's buildings are brilliant. Incredible though that he always seems to catch a 1950's train with BR Mk1 carriages!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
They did some interior shots in one of our government HQ buildings when I was in the civil service a few years ago. It has some great Art Deco features and staircases. They also filmed at The Hoover building in London which I've been round twice on Open House weekends (it's now empty and has a Tesco at the rear.) A real deco palace.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
I heard they were filming in St Margarets as well, but that was just Poirot putting us off the scent

Gawd Paul, thats a blinding light, puts a whole new meaning to Google Street View

Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well I think the newspaper was just assuming St Margarets but the producers clearly said in the feature that they would not be revealing where they would be filming as the last thing they want is hundreds looking on in modern garb when they are trying to create a 1930's look.
Yes the Hoover building is a bit special, I wonder if DT would agree with us on that one. Ive only seen it the once in a drive past but it certainly looks the business for that particualr Art Deco style. Although I seem to remember it being featured in various newspapers in my days in London, years ago now, that it had gotten run down and miserable...but I imagine they put it back in proper order. Certainly in the photograph there it looks very good. Its great to see they are stil making Poirots, although there was a shake up in the cast which I pesonally was disappointed about. Inspector Japp seems no more...nor does the delightfully ( but a tad gormless) refined Englishman Capt Hastings.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
The Hoover Building was in a bad state of repair but it was bought by a tobacco company who did a great job restoring it to its former glory. They moved out a couple of years ago and it's empty now (apart from the Tesco part as I mentioned.)
I didn't realise that Japp and Captain Hastings were no more.

What about Miss Lemon?
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
In today's Daily Express it states that Poriot is being filmed in Islington London even though the story is set in Dover and that Dover itself is very relevant to the plotline!
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
It will be good to see Dover in one of the Poriot he has got to be one of agatha chrisitie's best character's a shame that they seem to have left out the others out of the story lines now.
Terry I remember that episode.

yes there was a bit of filming going on the seafront tues afternoon the balcony on the waterloo buildings facing the seafront had a castle hotel sign on it as did the door underneath it and a man walking a black lab passed a woman who were both wearing period costumes and two black cars drove up the road, not a large scene but a few people were watching, this post is from phils wife who was on tea break sitting on the front as were a lot of my co workers good job the shop was not very busy at that time
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
This is from yesterday's Daily Express:
Cash-strapped ITV chiefs have been accused of doing their flagship detective drama Poirot "on the cheap".
Weeks after its star David Suchet voiced concerns over the fate of the beloved Belgian sleuth, we hear cast and crew are feeling decidedly miffed about attempts to cut corners on the upcoming instalments.
"Shooting on the first film, The Clocks, is taking place in Islington even though the story is set in Dover, which is highly relevant to the plot," an insider revealed.
"They are filming in a tiny wood in Islington near Tony Blair's old pad and can only afford to go to Dover for a few days for the sea shots.
"There's a general feeling of despondency because it feels as if everything's being done on the cheap."
Earlier this month Suchet, 63, who has starred as Agatha Christie's pedantic protagonist for more than 20 years, spoke of his fears for the future of the much-loved drama. "Look at how many good TV programmes have been axed recently," he said. "I hope it's not inevitable for Poirot."
Names including former EastEnder Phil Daniels,Jaime Winstone- daughter of actor Ray - and veteran actress Anna Massey feature in the upcoming productions.
A spokesperson for the channel refused to be drawn on the budget but confirmed filming is taking place "in several locations throughout Greater London, including studios, and three days in Dover".
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Being shown at 9 tonight.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
If I remember rightly most of the street scenes where shot in Exeter but the seafront and the castle feature heavily .
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah...this thread a timely resurection. Watched it last night. Wasnt the most exciting Poirot ever but nevertheless really good to see it with the Dover/ St Margarets locations.
Got these couple of pictures from the programme as it was showing...
Following on from Jeanes post 13 above...there were definitely budget cuts on display. Lots of talky interiors and not so much of the grand vistas.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
I was having a rather topsy-turvy day yesterday and hadn't the energy to dash to the PC to let you all know...what happily you all knew anyway.
I have not trawled through the entire 'guess-where' thread, but I saw some scenes last night that would have been worthy of inclusion...
Having said that, they do chop about a bit in order to get the right shot. Though, have few public conveniences around would have helped there.
[I do hope that the pub interior is real?]
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
A lot of filming down the Secret Wartime Tunnels in the Castle

Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Yes Paul...there's no 'dark' like Dover-dark.
BUT?
The back-to-back crescents? The Georgian shop-fronts?
It was perhaps filmed on Dover's no-truck day.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Watched with interest as the scenes of Dover castle and St Margarets came onto our screens, was a tad disappointed with the story line for one of our best loved agatha christe characters, sad to say that Jeanes post 13 is right, still I will forever love the little Belgin detective
