History
Built circa 1972, this derelict housing estate was best known for its use as the 'Chatsworth Estate' filming location for Shameless between 2003 and 2006. Due to problems with local youths, filming was moved in 2007 to a £250,000 purpose-built set in Wythenshawe, in the car park of a former Umbro warehouse. At this point, filming of interior sets also moved from 'The Pie Factory' studios in what is now MediaCityUK to this newly acquired warehouse.
The 'replica' estate stood for around 6-7 years and was demolished shortly after the final series of Shameless ended in 2013. By this time, demolition of the 'real' estate had already commenced (to be replaced with new housing and associated facilities). Today, none of the houses remain and only a few buildings still stand - on either side of GortonVilla Walk (the main street running through the estate, which leads onto Beastow Road).
Pics
Despite ongoing 'gentrification' of the area, there's still an unsettling vibe around here. Although the remaining buildings are, for the most part, accessible; the benefit (a few poorly lit, not-so-impressive photos) vs. risk (a brutal stabbing by a territorial smackhead, only for my rotting corpse to be found months or even years later by an unsuspecting builder) didn't entice me to explore the buildings as much as I could've.
Streets
GortonVilla Walk (M12 5ES)
Frodsley Walk (M12 5JW) - former Fujitsu Tower in background
Skarratt Close (M12 5NF)
Buildings
24-32 GortonVilla Walk - shops ('Anchor Way' in Shameless)
34 GortonVilla Walk (rear) and 32 GortonVilla Walk (front)
34 GortonVilla Walk - working men's club (not featured in Shameless)
6A Wenlock Way (backs onto GortonVilla Walk) - medical centre (not featured in Shameless)
Today, the area retains a television connection. Just behind the former Fujitsu Tower is the factory where the first ever commercially-available electronic computers were produced in the 1950s. The very same building now houses Space Studios, the home of Dragons' Den:
And just around the corner from this is the 'Manchester Metropolitan Police' station set from Scott & Bailey:
Ta for reading
Built circa 1972, this derelict housing estate was best known for its use as the 'Chatsworth Estate' filming location for Shameless between 2003 and 2006. Due to problems with local youths, filming was moved in 2007 to a £250,000 purpose-built set in Wythenshawe, in the car park of a former Umbro warehouse. At this point, filming of interior sets also moved from 'The Pie Factory' studios in what is now MediaCityUK to this newly acquired warehouse.
The 'replica' estate stood for around 6-7 years and was demolished shortly after the final series of Shameless ended in 2013. By this time, demolition of the 'real' estate had already commenced (to be replaced with new housing and associated facilities). Today, none of the houses remain and only a few buildings still stand - on either side of GortonVilla Walk (the main street running through the estate, which leads onto Beastow Road).
Pics
Despite ongoing 'gentrification' of the area, there's still an unsettling vibe around here. Although the remaining buildings are, for the most part, accessible; the benefit (a few poorly lit, not-so-impressive photos) vs. risk (a brutal stabbing by a territorial smackhead, only for my rotting corpse to be found months or even years later by an unsuspecting builder) didn't entice me to explore the buildings as much as I could've.
Streets
GortonVilla Walk (M12 5ES)
Frodsley Walk (M12 5JW) - former Fujitsu Tower in background
Skarratt Close (M12 5NF)
Buildings
24-32 GortonVilla Walk - shops ('Anchor Way' in Shameless)
34 GortonVilla Walk (rear) and 32 GortonVilla Walk (front)
34 GortonVilla Walk - working men's club (not featured in Shameless)
6A Wenlock Way (backs onto GortonVilla Walk) - medical centre (not featured in Shameless)
Today, the area retains a television connection. Just behind the former Fujitsu Tower is the factory where the first ever commercially-available electronic computers were produced in the 1950s. The very same building now houses Space Studios, the home of Dragons' Den:
And just around the corner from this is the 'Manchester Metropolitan Police' station set from Scott & Bailey:
Ta for reading
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