Tuesday 25 October 2011

Film Locations -- The City Barge

THE CITY BARGE
27 Strand On The Green
W4 3PH

The City Barge stands on the banks of the River Thames in Chiswick and was the location used in the film “Help!” in 1965 by The Beatles.

Being pursued by Klang, The Beatles found refuge in the pub and Ringo famously ordered “Two lagers and lime and two lagers and lime”.


Filming took place on Saturday April 24th 1965 at the pub and the tow path.

Many Beatle fans visit this pub, and whilst it isn’t in Central London, it is well worth a visit, with nearby Chiswick House (where The Beatles filmed “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” videos in 1966), and just across the river the famous tow path where Ringo was hit by the tyre whilst on his walkabout in “A Hard Day’s Night”. Indeed at the start of the path, if you look across the river there are the tower block featured on the re-master cover of George’s “All Things Must Pass album”.

You can spend a Beatle day in the area and visit the pub for lunch with its wonderful wide choice of food.

Originally called “The Navigators Arms” when built in 1484, it was re-named in the in the 19th century as the Lord Mayor of London used to moor his grand barge outside.

With a large car park, outside seating in both the front and back, it remains pretty much unaltered since The Beatles filmed here. Of course, next to the pub is the alleyway also used in the film “Help!” Some fans even recreate that scene with their own cameras.

The internal scenes in the pub were shot in the film studio, including where Ringo falls through the floor and meets the tiger. Being close to the river, the City Barge doesn’t have that cellar under the pub, and you have no fears of meeting the tiger.

At the re-launch of “Help!” on DVD in 2007, the BBFC held an event there and Victor Spinetti entertained us with his stories from those great days. Victor, of course, was the mad scientist in the film.

Our fan club “Mad Day Outers” are known to frequent the venue often, the latest visit being in June 2011 (unless they have been since and didn’t send me an invite!).

A friendly atmosphere awaits you at this wonderful riverside pub- good food, great ale and you are also on the site of a famous Beatle film location- what more could a Beatle fan want?

Ernie Sutton





1 comment:

  1. Ernie's actually wrong. I've been coming here since the mid-1980s and the pub did indeed have a cellar. It used to flood regularly. The City Barge had a major £1m refit in 2014. The bar where Ringo orders is no longer there - the space now used for dining - and the bar has moved to the other side of the building accessible via the stairs on the right. The 'cellar' is now overground. Post Office Alley, where The Beatles walk through to the tow path is pretty much unchanged except for the cottages on either side having been spruced up, though instantly recognisable.

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