Since the arrival of Neptune Studios in 1914 (now the BBC Estree Centre) and throughout the 20th Century, film and then television brought thousands of jobs and millions of pounds to this area, which became known as The British Hollywood'.
Eventually six different studios would operate within two miles of each other. By the 1980s, six of the 'top ten' highest box-office grossing movies had been made in Borehamwood.
In 1996 the British Film Institute decided to celebrate the Centenary of Cinema in the UK in a variety of ways, including providing over 200 commemorative plaques to be erected around the UK.
Wishing to recognise our unique film heritage, the Town Council applied for and was awarded 18 of these plaques. Most of these were unveiled the same year.
One of the aims of the First Impressions project is to encourage more people, local residents but also visitors, to take pride in our unique film and television heritage celebrated by those plaques.
To make it easier to see and enjoy, each plaque has been mounted on an explanatory panel. These panels now form the basis for a more extensive film and TV heritage trail marking points of special interest throughout Elstree and Borehamwood.
We invite you to follow this trail and discover for yourself the extraordinary contributions of so many people to the past present and future of our town.