It’s a wanderful Life
Fiona Whitty and her son take a magical Harry Potter studio tour on a wizard weekend in Watford
Harry Potter fans, prepare to be spellbound… if you fancy a wizard of a weekend then magic yourself to Watford. The Hertfordshire town has been put on the tourist map thanks to everyone’s favourite wand-wielder.
It’s near here that filming for all eight of the smash-hit blockbusters was based. And the huge attraction, devoted to the stories, right next to the original studios in Leavesden, has been wowing visitors for nearly a decade.
Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter features costumes, props and sets used in the world-famous movies, making it the perfect centrepiece for a bewitching weekend away (2022 now on sale at £49.95 adult/£39.95 child/£159 family. wbstudiotour. co.uk).
I visited with my 12-year-old son Freddie, who loved spotting bits and pieces from his favourite films.
We were thrown into Harry’s world of wizardry right from the start with a stroll through the Hogwarts Great Hall dining room, where original clothes worn during filming are on display, including Harry’s tiny first ever school uniform. It’s hard to appreciate now that actor Daniel Radcliffe was only 11 when he took up the role.
We learned how, in order to portray Robbie Coltrane’s character Hagrid as a towering half-giant, he was sometimes played by 6ft 10in former England rugby player Martin Bayfield with the aid of stilts and an animatronic head.
Walking through the Forbidden Forest – filled with trees 12ft in diameter – we felt our spines tingle as giant animatronic spiders descended on us.
Freddie had a go at flying on a broomstick then watched himself back, whizzing around the streets of London thanks to green-screen technology. We also saw how make-up transformed an actor into their character, explored Harry’s childhood house and took a stroll past the intricately designed stores of Diagon Alley.
During filming, Ollivanders wand shop was home to more than 17,000 individually labelled wand boxes.
Wandering through the set of Gringotts gave us a real sense of the grandeur of the fictional bank, while the treasure-strewn vault gave us a glimpse into another world.
And thanks to clever computer graphics we felt part of a very realistic scene where the dragon tries to destroy Gringotts.
One of Freddie’s favourite parts was learning wand combat. Visitors can watch a filmed demonstration by Paul Harris, who choreographed the fights scenes in Order Of The Phoenix, then grab a wand of their choice and try it out themselves.
I enjoyed seeing the Hogwarts Express and learning how it was pictured in the first shot in Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone and the very last one ever, at the end of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
And we both loved seeing the real three-tier Knight Bus, created using components from two
double-decker buses. Mr Weasley’s pale blue Ford Anglia flying car – which you can sit in – and Hagrid’s motorbike and sidecar were other highlights.
We made a weekend of it by staying at the Jurys Inn in Watford town centre, handy for shops and restaurants and just 15 minutes’ drive from the Studio Tour.
If you don’t arrive by car there’s a £3 return shuttle bus from Watford Junction train station that takes you straight to the attraction.
Rooms at Jurys Inn are simple but very clean and the staff are friendly. In these Covid-aware times they’re operating enhanced Safe,
Stay Happy hygiene measures and encouraging mask-wearing and social distancing. The restaurant is closed but food is available in the bar.
Bowling is always a hit with all the family so we took advantage of the hotel’s handy location to pop into Hollywood Bowl a few minutes’ walk away in the atria shopping centre.
Freddie loved the novelty of the chance to take a selfie and beam it up on to the scoreboard. A Covid-safe policy means that each team has their own set of bowls, painted differently to their neighbours’, which means you avoid the scramble to try to source the size you want.
We played two games, giving us each the chance to triumph (per game £6.20 child, £7.20 adult, hollywoodbowl.co.uk).
Nearby Cassio Lounge was the perfect place for lunch, its myriad of pictures, mirrors, statement lights and excellent service creating a relaxed ambience in a cool setting.
It’s part of a chain of Lounges started in 2002 by three friends keen to establish a place they would want to eat and drink in themselves. Their eccentric interiors and child-friendliness are key features.
With a prime seat at the mouth of the open-fronted restaurant adjacent to the sun-soaked terrace, we tried amazing tapas, including pulled brisket chilli, crispy fried cod taco, and halloumi and sweetcorn fritters. Our mocktails rounded things off beautifully. It’s a great-value menu (thelounges.co.uk).
Last stop on our Watford weekend was Topgolf on the town’s outskirts.
A cross between golf and darts, players standing in driving range-style bays launch micro-chipped balls on to marked zones around flags.
The closer you get to the flag – the ‘bullseye’ – the more points you collect, with the total totted up on a screen as you go along (per game £7 child, £8 adult. Membership required from £2pp. topgolf.com).
It’s brilliant fun for children and adults. Like our whole wand-erful Watford weekend.
Freddie watched himself flying around London on a broomstick