However, this whole week has been taken up with Hot Fuzz...the movie made largely in Wells.
Tuesday 13th Feburary was a very busy day. In the morning myself and two colleagues from Pickwicks went to the South West Regional Heat of the UK Barista Championships in Bristol. This was an excellent event held in the Bordeaux Quay restaurant, Bristol. The winner of the region will go onto represent the South West in the UK play offs!! Never knew that coffee making was taken so seriously!
Anyway, after viewing the championships and looking at some new coffee machines came back to Wells. I had one hour in which to get my stuff ready for the train journey to London for the World Premiere of HOT FUZZ...held in the Vue Cinema in Leicester Square.
Caught the train from Castle Cary direct into Paddington Station. From there I must of taken the most indirect route possible to Russell Square.
In Russell Square (after a 25 minute tube journey and a £4.00 single ticket) I walked to the Russell Hotel. There I met the Town Clerk who was attending a conference for Town/Parish Clerks. As this our tickets were arranged at the last minute (we are talking Monday now) they had to be couriered to him mid afternoon.
So we caught a taxi to Leicester Square. The Vue cinema was surrounded by hundreds of people, some of which were city workers on their way home and others were confused tourists.
Both the Town Clerk and I walked around the masses to see who was there. We noticed a 10 meter or so blue carpet running up to the cinema with a huge Hot Fuzz police badge printed on it. The cameras were all awaiting the arrival of the stars.
First to turn up were Edgar Wright (Director), Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (main stars). The cameras and fans went mad! Although some were confused as many kept coming up to the Town Clerk asking what was going on! I think he looked far too official!
After a while of seeing other stars, cast and film hangers on turn up (with which we were both looking at all of them making sure that we really didn't have a clue who they were), we decided to stroll up the blue carpet ourselves.
To make it all official, I put my Mayoral bling on and strolled up the carpet. Obviously the huge throng of people around the carpet were so overwhelmed that the Mayor and Town Clerk of Wells had arrived no one took our picture or asked for our autographs. Just goes to show that you ought to take advantage of every opportunity when they arise.
Anyway, we got into the vast cinema and went up to screen 7. During the build up to the film, we watched all of the other 'stars' being interviewed as they arrived - via live link to the outside cameras.... all clever stuff.
When the film started I was very proud of what we had seen. The film started as it meant to carry on - a brilliantly funny fun.
When the credits rolled, we awaited to see if they had stuck to their promise of a screen credit for Wells. True to form they mentioned Wells twice - with some huge credits which spanned the whole screen. What was even better, as a special thanks - they listed the Town Clerk, my Diary Secretary, a local Policemen and ME in their credits (also alongside many other people).
I couldn't believe it!! As one does in these sorts of situations - I phoned my Mum as soon as I could with the news!! How cool was that!
We then caught the train back to Bristol and arrived at just passed midnight......
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