Covid fears over plans to film TV series at quarry

RESIDENTS have voiced fears that their community will be put in ‘harm’s way’ after they received a letter saying that the popular TV show Brassic will be filming nearby in a matter of days.

The programme, commissioned by Sky, was due to shoot on Thursday at Jamestone Quarry, near Haslingden Grane.

It is understood that the filming will take place from 4.30pm to 1.30am, according to a letter locals received from Brassic Kingdom Limited.

The Grane Road Residents’ Association said in a tweet with the letter attached: “We’re not sure that this isn’t putting our residents in harm’s way, there are many vulnerable people in our area who use the quarry area for exercise. This isn’t an essential activity. How many people on this shoot exposing risk to the area?”

Current lockdown guidelines state that TV and film production is allowed to continue, but that it must be a Covidsecure operation.

Historically, the show has used Bacup town centre as its main backdrop for the fictional town of Hawley. During the filming of series three, cast and crew have been seen on set wearing face masks and visors. Sky has been contacted for comment.

There were 195 new coronavirus infections recorded in Rossendale in the week to January 28, down 35.2 per cent from the week before. The overall infection rate stands at 272.2 cases per 100,000, marginally below the England average of 280.9.