Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood - 0208 207 7496 customer.services@hertsmere.gov.uk

Borehamwood (sometimes referred to as Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, situated 16 miles (26 km) north of London. It is part of the borough of Hertsmere within the London commuter belt. As of April 2004, the town had approximately 30,000 residents. There is one weekly newspaper, the Borehamwood and Elstree Times, commonly known as the Borehamwood Times.

Up until 1909, the town was part of the ancient parish of Elstree; the two still share a local council, Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.

From the 1920s onwards, the town became known as one of the main centres of the UK film, and later television, industries due to the presence of production studios.

Following World War II, the town's population greatly increased, with large areas of council housing set up for displaced Londoners, many of which are now in private ownership. Fast train connections to central London have resulted in the town becoming a primarily residential suburb.

Borehamwood is currently undergoing a substantial housing transformation which has seen hundreds of new homes built over the last five years. There are currently two further developments being built and more are expected.

In addition to the studios, the town is also home to many retail shops, offices and light industry.

Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood". Whilst most of these studios have now closed, two still remain.

Many well-known movies including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Moby Dick, The Dam Busters, 633 Squadron, The Shining starring Jack Nicholson, the first three Indiana Jones films and the first three Star Wars movies were partially filmed at the former Associated British Studios in Shenley Road. These were partly demolished in the 1980s to make way for a Tesco Extra supermarket on one side and an office block complex on the other. The area between the two has been redeveloped to form Elstree Studios where, more recently, the popular TV series Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Big Brother were filmed, as well as several major feature films. The Inspector Morse TV series' production offices were based in the studios and, although the series was supposedly set in Oxford, several exterior locations (banks, shops etc) were filmed in the streets of Borehamwood.

The former British National Studios off Clarendon Road (which were later owned by Lew Grade's ATV) is now the Elstree Studios. The studios have, over the years, been home to Alfred Hitchcock's movie Blackmail, Gerry Anderson's TV series UFO and now BBC TV's most popular soap, EastEnders and their popular medical drama Holby City. An episode of Judge John Deed included scenes of the Tesco Extra, but with Borehamwood crossed out and Lewes written in its place. The studio has also been used for Question Time.

Several other studios in the town have been demolished. The MGM-British Studios complex (demolished in the early 1970s) saw the production of many well-known films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Where Eagles Dare and Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

Borehamwood itself has seen filming of many series, including the ever popular 'Most Haunted Live' on Halloween, named 'Nightmare on Elstree' although all the buildings investigated were in Borehamwood except the Hollybush Inn, situated in nearby Elstree The McDonalds drive-thru is what was the converted Red Lion pub. This pub used to stand adjacent to the MGM Studios and actors such as Robert Mitchum were often seen drinking in there.

The newer Millennium Studios is situated on Elstree Way, Borehamwood. Also British sitcom The Inbetweeners was filmed in Borehamwood.