Productions supported by the county’s new film office have brought in more than £425,000 to the local economy since January.
Screen Staffordshire has been launched with the aim of attracting more productions to the county and supporting the local economy.
It will act as a single point of contact for film and TV production enquiries, supporting location finding, permit coordination and links to local suppliers and services and is being delivered by We Are Staffordshire, with Staffordshire County Council investing £300,000 in a three-year pilot.
The figure of how much film and television productions have brought in since January this year was announced to coincide with the office’s official launch.
According to the UK Screen Sector Economic Review, the film and TV production industry contributed £5.6 billion to the national economy in 2024 – and Staffordshire aims to secure a greater share of this activity by improving access to filming locations and support services.
The county’s central location between Manchester and Birmingham is seen as an advantage, with a mix of rural, industrial and heritage sites that may appeal to producers looking beyond the main studio hubs.
The office will support location scouting, permit coordination and connections with local suppliers, helping to reduce barriers to filming in the region.
Councillor Martin Murray, deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills at Staffordshire County Council, said: “This is a hugely exciting project for Staffordshire – enabling us to further showcase the fantastic places we have in the county, generate jobs and support our economic growth.
“I’m passionate about our wonderful county and showcasing everything that we have to offer here. This will help in making Staffordshire the beating heart of the country.”
National figures from Filming in England suggest 70 per cent of visitors have been to a location featured in a film or TV programme, and 90 per cent would consider it. In Staffordshire, a rise of just 6,000 extra day visitors would match the value of the council’s investment over the three-year period.
Screen Staffordshire has already worked on tourism-led filming projects, including short films shot at Weston Park and World of Wedgwood as part of Visit Britain’s #StarringGreatBritain campaign earlier this year.
The launch event included speakers from We Are Staffordshire, film office manager Jonny Shelton and a panel discussion chaired by Oscar-nominated filmmaker and Burton-based business owner Tilley Bancroft. The panel featured local producer Debbie Aston, Chillington Hall’s Claire Dolman and Chelsea Foster from Filming in England.
