Film company keen to use dock's cinematic appeal

Keal Productions will produce scripted fiction for film, TV and theatre from Grimsby's Kasbah quarter

A film company is hoping to take advantage of Lincolnshire filming locations from its new base at Grimsby Docks.

The Kasbah quarter has been used as a location for film and TV and was part of a marketing drive by Associated British Ports, which wanted to promote its period features to production firms.

Keal Productions is the first company to move into the area, operating from Wharncliffe Road.

Managing director Heather Greenwood said the location was a "natural fit" for the business.

She said: "With so many stories and places untouched and yet to be discovered, the sheer scale of creative opportunity is mind blowing."

The Port of Grimsby has been used as a location for Atonement, This Is England, and more recently Three Day Millionaire and Netflix drama Bodies.

Ms Greenwood, a BAFTA nominated executive and producer, has also launched Location Lincs, offering a location finding service, as well as sourcing crew and facilities.

She said the company is dedicated to "telling unique British stories with global appeal".

Boston-born Ms Greenwood added: “Being Lincolnshire born and bred, I am immensely proud of the incredible people, places and landscapes that I have grown up with."

Some scenes from the Netflix drama Bodies were filmed in the Kasbah area

ABP regional director Simon Bird said he was "delighted" the company has set up in Grimsby.

He said: "It’s great to see the interest in our port's historic quarter, which is at the start of its cinematic journey."

He said both the port and wider region has "a rich diversity of filming locations" and could also bring "jobs and money into the local economy".

Greg Lacey, head of property at ABP, said the investment was a "real vote of confidence" into both the Port of Grimsby and the wider Lincolnshire region.

He said the UK film and television industry "continues to be one that is fast moving as the demand for content grows", adding that overall production spend last year was £4.2bn across the UK, more than double that of 2022's spend.

He added: "We believe that Grimsby has the potential to be repositioned in the longer term as a film production hub for Yorkshire and Humber and Lincolnshire regions and that our USPs can offer something different to anywhere else."

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