BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY

All hail Bridget Jones. This is my favourite romantic comedy EVER. And also the second Hugh Grant entry on this blog (lets assume there will be many more to come). Except this time rather than the sensitive, cute blokes with floppy hair the 90's Hugh Grant gave us, he has a new haircut, no adorable glasses in sight and a brand new attitude (that of a prick) to play the devilish Daniel Cleaver. Henceforth: we are given the presence of the other quintessential British male heartthrob - Mr Colin Firth. Playing a man called Mark Darcy. No that is not a coincidence. Yes there is a lake scene. Basically, if you haven't seen the movie, go watch it now. Also appreciation for Renee Zellweger's London accent is required - no ifs or buts about it, it's amazing. 

Are you keeping track? So far we have not one but TWO of the most popular English male stars, a central London setting, and a modern take on Pride and Prejudice. If that isn't the most British thing you’ve heard of, I don’t know what is.

There may be other entries more viable for top British romantic comedy to watch at Christmas *cough LOVE ACTUALLY cough*, but personally it is the relatability of Bridget Jones's disastrous life and can do attitude that keeps me viewing annually every December. That's not even mentioning the killer soundtrack.

Now for the locations. Set mainly in London, the film takes us on a cute journey with Bridget as she tries to juggle the catastrophes in her life. Some famous landmarks pop up from time to time, but mainly the scenes are set in restaurants, apartments and workplaces - integral to the narrative.

For this post I'm focusing on the first film - but feel free to scour the other 2 entries to the franchise for more London locations!

BOROUGH MARKET

This is the most important location for the film. Borough Market provides the backdrop for Bridget's flat, where we see much of the action take place - and a terrific lip-syncing rendition of All By Myself. It may seem a bit out of reach that a struggling journalist can afford a fairly decent flat in a popular South Bank area which happens to be London's food epicentre (although granted at the time the market wasn't half as popular as it is now) but hey, that’s the movies for you.

There are several shots of Bridget passing through the market on the way to her flat - the most notable being the night of her birthday dinner, showing Bridget at the market buying all of the ingredients to her infamously disastrous 3 course meal.

Outside Bridget's flat 😁

The door and brick exterior for Bridget's flat is located above The Globe Tavern, Bedale Street.

Tips and Tricks: Take many bags with you! And I would make a pitch to either a) abstain from main meals beforehand or b) go for breakfast because the food in this market is divine. From hot drinks to cakes and desserts to meat rolls and bakery products - food from all cultures and ethnicities, this is somewhere you want to eat. Can't find any seats? Try and locate the large outdoor staircase between the main entrance section of the market and the back court outside. If you can spy the Southwark Cathedral, you're at the right place.   

The Borough Market is right outside of the London Bridge underground, and close to other exciting places to explore such as the Tate Modern. It also provides a close up view of the Shard building.

This is a busy walkway so be quick with your pictures! I got mine early evening. Unlike the blue door from Notting Hill, this one is a little less obvious and therefore, less crowded with tourists trying to get pictures - yay!

Check out me entering the Borough Market below ⇓

WHERE TO GO: 8 Bedale Street, Borough, London SE1 9AL

TIMES: Tuesday to Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 8am-5pm, closed Monday and Sunday

Wednesday to Saturday is the full market, with Tuesday being a limited market

Waffles at the market...mmmm 😻😻😻

Hanging out at Borough Market 👻

GREEK RESTAURANT

The fictitious Greek restaurant on Bedale Street hosts what is, in my opinion, one of the best fight scenes on screen (and one of the most memorable moments of the movie). Watching Hugh Grant and Colin Firth attempt to scrap it out, interrupt a birthday party and crash through a window all to the song It's Raining Men is peak entertainment.

The street opposite Bridget's flat may have been recreated for the film, but the original building where the Greek restaurant was remains.

Tips and Tricks: These days, it's a wine merchant by the name of Bedales - you can go inside to find a nice drop, just don’t break any windows. 

WHERE TO GO: 5 Bedale Street, Borough, London SE1 9AL (opposite Bridget's flat)

DANIEL CLEAVER'S APARTMENT

It is in Daniel's swanky apartment that he and Bridget consummate their relationship (yes it is where we see those pants), and also where she discovers that he has been cheating on her with an American woman. Despite the drama that occurs there, no one can deny the slick modernity of the space and its effectiveness in helping to establish Daniel's character as "a rich wanker". 

Located on Clink Street, the converted warehouse turned Clink Wharf Apartment property is located just around the corner from Bridget's flat - shout out to the crew and location manager.

Tips and Tricks: This one is a private property (recently on the market for a mental 3 million pounds!) so it's safe to say the interiors aren't open to the public. However, given the proximity to Bridget's flat, it's easy enough to do a walk by if you so desire. In this clip, we briefly see Hugh Grant and the exterior before cutting to inside the apartment.

WHERE TO GO: Clink Wharf Apartments, Clink Street, London SE1

ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE

You will recognise this as the backdrop for Bridget's failed attempt at broadcasting an important news story for her new job in television - before running into Mark Darcy who comes to the rescue. The film utilises the grand scale of the Royal Courts to juxtapose the lives of Mark and Bridget - the former coming from inside the court with an important role as a human rights lawyer, the latter being found buying cigarettes in a corner store outside.

The Royal Courts share a gothic semblance to that of a cathedral - the architecture is breathtaking.

Tips and Tricks: Located on the Strand, the courts are close to other attractions such as St Paul's Cathedral, Somerset House and Covent Garden - perhaps you could check these out in the same day. The building also has wheelchair access. Whether you want to recreate the scene outside, or take a peek within, the Royal Courts are open to the public for you to explore. There are guided tours (I would definitely suggest for those interested in both history and architecture as the place is an abundance of 19th century gothic design). A 7 minute walk from the Temple and Holborn underground, and 10 minutes from Chancery Lane - it is not a difficult destination to find. The following bus lines also stop at/near the Royal Courts: 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 172, and 341. 

WHERE TO GO: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, Holborn, London, WC2A 2LL

TIMES: Monday to Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm

PRICE: Tours start at 13 pounds for adults and 10 pounds for children (under 14 years) - pretty cheap to be honest!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Here are some other popular attractions which feature in Bridget Jones's Diary:

• London Bridge (we see Bridget cross over for work in many of the montage scenes)

  

  Deliriously jet lagged on London Bridge

• Piccadilly Circus
• Primrose Hill (from the opening scene of the sequel, Edge of Reason - I've attached a video I took from on top of the hill - if you venture there, do remember to rug up from the cold!) 

Time to put on your favourite reindeer jumper, pack your diary and set off for these locations! 




I've attached a map for all the locations below ⇓

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XcWWh940pJ9ZudfZZvqkRtUrvix3m9Sj&usp=sharing