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'Buzz around town' as new comedy series filmed

George CardenLewes
PA Media James Corden and Ruth Jones stood together at a media eventPA Media
The pair are best known for their hit show Gavin and Stacey

Filming for a comedy series by Gavin and Stacey creators James Corden and Ruth Jones has sparked excitement among Lewes residents.

The East Sussex town has been renamed Alderswyck for the show called The Choir, which is about a long-lost brother and sister reuniting at Christmas.

A charity shop was converted into a post office, the John Harvey Tavern was made into Woody's Pub and filming has been taking place in Fitzroy House all around Cliffe High Street.

Filming started at the beginning of October and is taking place through the autumn ahead of the show's expected release next year.

George Carden/BBC A make shift beer garden in a car park, black tents and a crane with a light on it next to the River OuseGeorge Carden/BBC
A car park has been converted into a beer garden outside the John Harvey Tavern

"I saw James Corden very briefly carrying a box out of here", said Phil Parratt, a volunteer at the Oxfam charity shop which was made into Alderswyck post office.

"The crew emptied the whole shop, remade it into a post office, and a week later they put all our stuff back again."

George Carden/BBC Gaz Trupja standing in his cafe with utensils and coffee machine behind him. He has a black t shirt and silver chain, grey beard and dark hairGeorge Carden/BBC
Gaz Trupja says customers have been talking about the filming of The Choir

Volunteers said people had been turning up with parcels, prompting them to put up signs stating that the Oxfam shop was not an actual post office.

Gaz Trupja, owner of the Riverside Brasserie, said: "I've seen a lot of filming, we have the best view of the filming behind us. They transformed a car park behind us [into a beer garden].

George Carden/BBC A volunteer with blonde hair standing outside the charity shop which has post office branding and signs saying "this is not a post office". George Carden/BBC
Volunteer Phil Parratt was impressed with how the Oxfam was converted into a post office and then back into charity shop

"There's quite a bit of buzz around town. People are coming in and asking what's going on."

People shopping in Cliffe High Street were also excited by the filming.

Mary Meaney said: "I've seen them filming at the Oxfam which they've turned into a post office. It's quite exciting."

George Carden/BBC Film crews walking towards the John harvey tavern which has a new sign which says Woodys with a tree on it. A blacked out range rover is driving in the narrow laneGeorge Carden/BBC
The John Harvey Tavern has been renamed Woody's Alderswyck

Christine George added: "Anything that puts Lewes on the map, it's such a beautiful town. Lots of people film here because it's so special."

While Sue Brown said it was "great" to see film crews in the town, some traders in the area have expressed concerns.

Ashley Price, chair of Lewes Traders Group, said: "The buzz has been amazing, a lot of people like it. Some of the traders are negatively impacted by it."

He said some traders were "losing custom" due to people not being able to get into their shops, adding that more parking spaces in the town were being taken up.

Jones and Corden are executive producers for the series, which is now in production and set to air in 2027.

The eight-episode show will air on Apple TV and feature guest appearances by Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham, X-Men's James McAvoy and Harry Potter's Jim Broadbent.

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