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Harry Potter and the mystery of the shut station
By Ellen Widdup, Evening Standard 23.10.06
Daniel Radcliffe was filming a scene in central London for the latest Harry Potter film
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Tube travellers were seriously disrupted when Westminster station was shut for the filming of the new Harry Potter movie.
Camera crews took over to film Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, the fifth film in the series, due for release next year. Thousands of people were turned back yesterday or had their journey disrupted.
Disgruntled passengers, caught in heavy downpours, vented their anger on staff. But transport chiefs defended the action.
A Transport for London spokeswoman said: "Planned closures are timed to cause minimum disruption to passengers and commercial requests such as this are subject to an agreed fee. There has been publicity in the area to warn passengers."
In the book Harry, accompanied by Arthur Weasley, uses the Tube to attend a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic. Author JK Rowling describes how the young wizard - played by Daniel Radcliffe in the films - is whisked into central London in a Tube full of grumpy commuters.
A fifth of all visitors to the capital come because of a favourite film made here. London is one of the world's leading locations for movies and has been used in several Harry Potter films. King's Cross station was converted into the magical platform 93/4, from where the Hogwart's Express departs.
In scenes shot at London Zoo, Harry discovers he can communicate with snakes, and a classroom at Harrow School is where he has lessons in magic. Gringotts, the wizard's bank, was filmed in Australia House in the Strand. Blackfriars Bridge, Borough market and Leaden Hall market have all been featured.
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Reader views (4)
Sad to say that the people who are complaining are exactly the ones the decision-makers completely wrote off at the beginning. If this had been a war, guess who's the expendible one? Sad fact of life.
- Teabing Agile, London
Absoloutely disgusting. Will all those people with a season ticket or day ticket who would have used Westminster be reimbursed or compensated for the delay and inconvenience? By closing Westminster station the managers have disadvantaged passengers who have paid the highest public transport fares in the world to advantage commercial film producers and themselves. This is completely unacceptable. How we put up with such appalling and expensive service is beyond belief. How has it got to the stage that the managers believe it is acceptable to do this? It should have been done when passenger were not using the station and at no other time. In this case Transport for London have let down passengers badly.
- David, London
It is absolutely astonishing that TfL allowed Westminster station - a key interchange between the Jubilee and District and Circle lines to be closed all day when there was other significant tube disruption in central London. The Hammersmith & City line was completely shut and the Circle Line closed between Edgware Road and Tower Hill. Just where were the alternative routes TfL excepted passengers to take?
When we are constantly told to use public transport instead of private cars, the message that the tube will only be running when TfL aren't allowing filming on it is pretty poor. The fee TfL have taken should be ringfenced for improvements to the tube, not sucked into the TfL administration black hole.
- Jon, London UK
I am a huge film fan, as well as enjoying the Harry Potter books, but I find the closing of a major tube station for a day so that filming can take place absolutely outrageous. Why can't they pay to rent out the station overnight? Minimum disruption it may be, but people have things to do on a Sunday too, and many have to work, especially in the tourist industry. We don't pay exhorbitant fares to put up with this kind of service!
- Dan, London, UK
