'Leavesden is the spiritual home of Harry Potter' (From Watford Observer)

'Leavesden is the spiritual home of Harry Potter'

2:18pm Friday 14th October 2011 in Interviews By Melanie Dakin

Hogwarts first family, the Weasley clan, returned to Leavesden this week to give the Harry Potter Studio Tour their seal of approval. Rupert Grint, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Oliver Phelps and James Phelps were particularly impressed by the attention to detail that has been carried over from the films.

Visitors will get to experience the tour just as they had on set – each hand-sewn hair on the creature models, they’ll be able to operate several utensils in the Weasley kitchen and discover the magic of green screen technology that has been used for the films including the many Quidditch matches.

James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley says: “We went into Dumbledore’s office and up the staircase beside the telescope and it had all these astrological symbols on it that I never knew were there. We saw the archive of material and the detail of all the props, you really can see how much goes into it.”

Although the likes of you and I will not be able to get quite as up close and personal as that, the walking tour will offer us the chance to see first-hand the sheer scale and detail of the actual sets, costumes, animatronics, special effects and props.

Hertfordshire’s own Rupert Grint, who lives in Kimpton, near Harpenden is particularly pleased to see the studios tour remain on the site where all eight of the Harry Potter films were made.

“Leavesden is the spiritual home of the Harry Potter movies and it’s a special place for all of us. We all grew up here. When the last film finished it was a sad thing not to be coming here every day. Now fans of Harry Potter can really experience what it was like on set and feel the air of how it was.”

It’s good that Leavesden has turned into a major studio and Warner Bros has continued its commitment to film-making here

Mark Williams

It’s clear how pleased the cast are to be back in the place that has dominated their lives for the past ten years. Oliver and James, from Sutton Coldfield, tell me they regard Watford and St Albans almost as second homes and are looking forward to catching up with friends while they’re here.

Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, points out that not only are they pleased from a personal point of view but from the perspective of what the studios represent in terms of the British film industry.

Mark says: “It’s good that Leavesden has turned into a major studio and Warner Bros has continued its commitment to film-making here. It has history as a 1930s aerodrome factory for de Havilland aircraft and now it’s a state-of-the-art British film studio and a studio tour, not a theme park – it’s the authentic experience. It’s also an enormous leap forward for the franchise and for British film-making and it’s in Leavesden, in Watford. Hurray.”

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter will open on March 31 next year with timed tickets available from this week. Details: www.wbstudiotour.co.uk