How a TV show has drawn Australians and Americans to a seaside town

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. How a TV show has drawn Australians and Americans to a seaside townImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tourists have been drawn to Donaghadee due to Hope StreetByKevin SharkeyBBC News NIPublished2 hours agoWhat happens to a pretty seaside town when film crews descend upon it? People in "Port Devine" - with its multi-coloured houses, a lighthouse and spectacular views over Scotland on a clear day - have been experiencing the effects for five years now. Its real name is Donaghadee and while its coastal charm has been long appreciated by locals and day-trippers alike, its alter ego has captured the hearts of many more as home to the popular police drama Hope Street.

Fans have flocked to the County Down town since filming first started in 2021. Image caption, Kathryn Strain (left) and Bridie McElhill think the series has been good for their townKathryn Strain, who is a member of the Chunky Dunkers sea swimming group in Donaghadee, says it's common to see tourists from cruise ships visiting Belfast making trips to the town. "You can hear them saying, 'oh, that's where the police station was, and oh, this is so and so's house'," so it has been great, it has been good for the town, definitely," she told News NI.

The Details

Some of the Hope Street cast and crew have also braved the cold of Irish Sea and enjoyed - or maybe not - a dip. Like many locals, Kathryn can be spotted in Hope Street episodes as an extra. "I think my most famous was, and as my husband says I've got the face for a funeral, I was in it at a funeral," she jokes.

Her friend, Bridie McElhill, who also swims with the Chunky Dunkers, says the show has helped put Donaghadee "on the map". "People come to Donaghadee now to see the town and see all the locations where the filming has taken place. "I do think it has brought people into the town, and that's great for the town.

"Image source, /Long Story TVImage caption, Finnian Garbutt played police constable Ryan Power in the Northern Ireland police drama Hope Street Fans can also now own a piece of Hope Street history as a local charity shop is selling costumes from the show. A feature film - starring Finnian Garbutt who died in April from skin cancer - is due to be released in the autumn. At the Stormy Cup cafe, staff had become accustomed to serving cast and crew members in recent years, but now they are catering for more tourists.

What Experts Say

Cafe manager, Brooke Pennick, says when Hope Street first came to town there was a buzz. Image caption, Cafe manager, Brooke Pennick, says having Hope Street filmed in the town was "special" "For locals, being able to see it happen right in front of their eyes, in front of their front doors, to crowds gathering down at the pier in the evenings to watch parts of that was such a special thing. " Now, thanks to the show, she says more visitors are arriving in the town.

"We do have a lot of tourists coming here and wanting to see where things were filmed and go to proper sets and understand the logistics behind it.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.