Hi-de-Hi is a BBC comedy sitcom based on the staff at the fictional Maplin’s Holiday Camp. This sitcom originally aired between 1980 and 1988 totalling 60 episodes spread over 9 series. The cast includes Sue Pollard, Paul Shane, Jeffrey Holland, Ruth Madoc, and Simon Cadell. In this post, we take a look at some of the famous Hi-de-Hi Filming Locations.
Hi-de-Hi based on the fictional Maplin’s Holiday Camp in the fictional town of Crimpton-on-Sea was largely filmed at a real holiday camp called Warner’s Dovercourt Holiday Camp. Unfortunately, the camp closed at the end of 1990 and the site was sold and redeveloped for housing. Thanks to some great research and historical photos and maps of the campsite gathered by Glen Fairweather, the blue box on the map below shows where the campsite would have been situated in Dovercourt Bay, Harwich Essex.
The Promenade (shown by the orange arrows below) a short distance away from the former Warner’s Dovercourt Holiday Camp was used in a number of episodes for beach and coast scenes.
The Cliff Hotel
The Cliff Hotel, Marine Parade, Harwich is where the cast of Hi-de-Hi would stay during filming. Sue Pollard always stayed in the same room, room 11. Unfortunately in August 2018, the hotel was demolished.
Hi-de-Hi Filming Locations – Episodes
Series 1 | The Day of Reckoning
Former Jockey Fred Quinn becomes aware he and a guest at the holiday park have an acquaintance in common. Fred becomes convinced that the guest is part of a gang out to get revenge, when in fact the guest is there to rob other residents at the holiday camp. Wires become crossed and a money exchange is agreed upon (albeit a little confused) to settle the dispute. The money exchange takes place on the Promenade shown on the map below.
Series 2 | Episode 3 Lift Up Your Minds
At the end of the episode, we see Ted and Spike looking for cockles. This was filmed in the River Stour, just off The Walls as shown below. The end of Episode 6 of the same series was also filmed on the River Stour in roughly the same area.
Series 2 | Episode 6 Sausages or Limelight
Spike’s girlfriend comes to visit him at the campsite. Whilst the campsite is no longer there we see her driving her mini on the street just outside as shown below.
After she parks up, Spike takes his girlfriend for a walk from the holiday camp, around the boating lake down to the beach. The boating lake scenes were filmed around Dovercourt Boating Lake.
Series 3 | Episode 1 Nice People With Nice Manners
After attending an unexpected party at Yvonne and Barry’s we see Ted and Spike nursing a hangover next to the pond. This was filmed at Flatford Mill in Suffolk.
Series 3 | Episode 2 Carnival Time
Joe Maplin has ordered the camp staff to enter a float into the local carnival but as usual, not all goes to plan. In the episode we see Peggy and Fred running with the horses towards the beach. This was filmed next to the camp on West End Lane. Whilst the camp used for filming has gone and been redeveloped as a housing estate, West End Lane and the recreation ground to the right remain.
Series 4 | Episode 1 Stripes
On Ted and Spikes’ day off they spot Joe Maplin sneaking about outside the camp. This was filmed at the bottom of Hall Lane, Harwich.
Series 5 | Episode 2 Save our Heritage.
Joe Maplin wants to evict a tenant from a thatched house on his land to demolish it for some new chatelets, however, Professor Fairbrother rallies the camp staff to prevent this from happening. As part of Jeff’s master plan the camp staff steal and hide a bulldozer which was planned to accidentally knock down the house. The scene where the bulldozer was stolen was filmed at Houbridge Hall, Stone’s Green Road, near Great Oakley.
Series 6 | Episode 3 Opening Day
In this episode, Weybourne Station in Norfolk doubled as the fictional Crimpton-on-Sea Station. It also appeared in other episodes such as Together Again also in Series 6. You can find out more about this historic station here.
Series 7 | Episode 3 Spaghetti Galore
The former pub known as The Three Cups was used as the location of Tony’s Trattoria. The rear of the building was used as the main entrance to the restaurant. Unfortunately, this pub has ceased trading, however, you can see the car park and entrance used from the street at the rear of the building.
Series 8 | Episode 3 Orphan of the Storm
Alex Foster has it in for Peggy and sacks her after accusing her of stealing soap. In coming to her defense Spike and Clive both got a black eye and Clive also got the sack too. However, Mr. Maplin has stepped in, sent Alex Foster back in, and suspended all of his decisions, including the sacking of Clive and Peggy.
Peggy has already left for the station so the gang head to the station to tell Peggy the news that she still has her job before she leaves. In this episode, Manningtree Stations doubles as Crimpton-on-Sea Station.
The below Street view shows Manningtree Station from 2009. In the latest Street view (2021) the building to the left has been demolished and the area re-landscaped.
Series 8 | Episode 5 Only The Brave
For April’s birthday, Ted arranges a gang outing to the Electric Palace Cinema to see Bambi. As usual, though, not all goes to plan. The scenes were filmed at the Electric Palace Cinema, Harwich.
Series 9 | Episode 5 Wedding Bells
In Wedding Bells we see Glady’s and Clive’s Wedding. This was filmed on location at St Mary’s Church, Lawford, Essex.
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