Stafford town centre to be transformed into 1860s London for The Cadburys filming

Parts of Stafford town centre are set to be transformed into 1860s London next week as filming takes place for new period drama The Cadburys.

New documents provide a much clearer picture of the scale of the production, with filming scheduled from Tuesday 15th to Thursday 17th September. Preparations are expected to begin before then, followed by work to return the area to normal once filming has finished.

The production intends to use Stafford’s historic architecture as the backdrop for scenes set in Victorian London. One building within the filming area is set to be transformed into Harrods, while nearby streets will also be heavily dressed to remove modern features and recreate the look of the capital in the 1860s.

More than 100 temporary changes planned

A detailed 38-page dressing schedule sets out more than 100 individual items and changes across streets and surrounding buildings.

These include temporarily removing or covering modern signs, bins, cameras, cables and other present-day features, while period-style signs, window dressings, lighting and other props will be introduced. Temporary road coverings are also planned in some areas to disguise modern surfaces.

Some buildings will have their windows dressed for the period, while modern equipment and signage that cannot be removed will instead be carefully hidden from view.

The production documents stress that the changes are temporary and reversible, with items due to be reinstated once filming is complete. Extra precautions are also planned because several of the locations sit within Stafford Town Centre Conservation Area and include Grade II listed buildings.

Streets to double for Victorian London

The exterior scenes will see parts of central Stafford used to represent busy London streets during the 1860s.

Period vehicles, including a horse-drawn omnibus, are expected to form part of the filming, alongside performers dressed for the period. The documents say Stafford was selected in part because of its historic architecture, which the production believes can convincingly stand in for Victorian London.

The filming is connected to a storyline involving the Cadbury family travelling from Birmingham to London as their chocolate business develops, with Harrods forming part of the scenes being shot in Stafford.

Although there is expected to be significant activity around Market Square and Shire Hall, the production documents indicate that those two areas are primarily being used to support the filming rather than as major on-screen locations. Shire Hall is planned to be used behind the scenes, while Market Square will be used for production vehicles and other technical requirements.

Road restrictions during filming

Road closures and traffic controls will be in place around parts of the town centre during the production period, including the Martin Street and St Martin’s Place area.

The production team says pedestrian access will be maintained where possible, although people may occasionally be asked to wait briefly while individual takes are filmed. Access for emergency vehicles will also be maintained.

People visiting Stafford over the coming week may therefore notice production vehicles, temporary barriers, period street dressing and crews working around the historic part of the town centre.

What is The Cadburys?

The Cadburys is a new six-part period drama telling the story of the family behind one of Britain’s best-known chocolate companies.

Set in the West Midlands during the 1860s, the series follows brothers George and Richard Cadbury as the family business develops from a struggling cocoa company into a major name in British chocolate.

Harry Gilby plays George Cadbury, with Toby Regbo as Richard Cadbury and Jessica Barden as Maria Cadbury. The wider cast also includes Pearce Quigley, Ben Hardy, Joanna Scanlan, Poppy Gilbert, Felicity Montagu and Mathew Baynton.

Filming has already taken place elsewhere in the West Midlands, including Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent, before production moves to Stafford.

The series is expected to be released on U in 2027.

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