Yesterday was filmed in Liverpool and along the east coast of England, with stops in Gorleston-on-Sea and Buckenham in Norfolk, Suffolk's Shingle Street and Ramsholt, and Clacton-on-Sea in Essex. Danny Boyle's 2019 comedy follows a struggling musician who wakes up in a world that has never heard of The Beatles. This guide covers 16 filming locations, the scene shot at each and what visiting involves, grouped by area. Exact pins are in the Go On Set app. The stops start on the Norfolk coast, where Jack's story begins.
In this guide
- Where was the Pier Hotel rooftop concert filmed?
- Where was the blackout and bus crash filmed?
- Where was the Malik family home filmed?
- Where was John Lennon's house filmed?
- Where was the Penny Lane scene filmed?
- Where was Strawberry Fields filmed?
- Where was Eleanor Rigby's grave scene filmed?
- Where was the airport fan scene filmed?
- Where was the run to Lime Street filmed?
- Where was Jack's Liverpool hotel filmed?
- Where was the Lime Street Station cafe scene filmed?
- Where was Jack's pier busking filmed?
- Where was the Public Square busking scene filmed?
- Where was the pub scene where nobody knows The Beatles filmed?
- Where was Gavin's recording studio filmed?
- Where was Ellie's pep talk at The Reedcutter filmed?
- How should you plan a Yesterday locations visit?
- Quick answers about Yesterday filming locations
Pier Hotel
The Pier Hotel sits at the harbour entrance in Gorleston-on-Sea, a short walk from the town's long sandy beach. It has 21 rooms, a restaurant, a lounge bar and a wine bar, plus sea views. This is where Jack (Himesh Patel), crushed by the lies he has told and the pressure of being The Beatles' successor, sings "HELP!" from the roof. The beach spreads out behind him. The hotel is a working business, so enjoy the view from the seafront promenades, which have stairs linking upper and lower levels.
Town Street blackout
The film's turning point was shot around the Pavilion Theatre and the adjoining Pier Gardens in Gorleston-on-Sea, standing in for a place called Town Street. The Edwardian theatre dates from 1898 and sits near the mouth of the River Yare. Jack cycles through here when the worldwide blackout hits, loses control and is knocked down by a bus. The gardens are a public seaside walk, and the theatre's exterior is easy to see from them.
The Malik family home
The Malik family home was filmed on a residential street in Gorleston-on-Sea. In the story Jack lives with his parents in Lowestoft, and Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar play them as a pair who are very hard to impress. Nothing here is a public attraction. It is an ordinary neighbourhood, so treat it as a quick look from the pavement.
John Lennon's House
John Lennon's house was shot at Shingle Street, a quiet settlement on the Suffolk coast. A shingle beach lies at the mouth of the River Ore, close to Orford Ness, and the area is known for bird-watching and walks. Here Jack follows an address from the mysterious fan Liz (Sarah Lancashire) to a remote house and finds an elderly John Lennon, played by Robert Carlyle, alive in this alternate universe. Shingle Street is a remote spot, so allow plenty of travel time.
Penny Lane
Penny Lane is a suburban Liverpool street made famous by the 1967 Beatles song and named after the eighteenth-century merchant James Penny. Jack walks along it past shops, banks and small businesses, trying to absorb the everyday places that inspired the songwriters. The street signs are now theft-resistant, after fans kept taking them as souvenirs. It is an open public street, so you can wander it freely.
Strawberry Fields
Strawberry Fields in Liverpool was a Salvation Army children's home and inspired "Strawberry Fields Forever". Jack and his friend Rocky (Joel Fry) come here while he searches for the meaning behind lyrics that have eluded him. The red gates have become a symbol of Lennon's childhood. The site now has a visitor centre telling that story, and the gardens are open for tours.
St. Peter's Church Cemetery
In St. Peter's Church Cemetery in Liverpool, Jack and Rocky look for the grave of Eleanor Rigby, a name shared with the Beatles song. The church was consecrated in 1704. Lennon met Paul McCartney in its hall on 6 July 1957, while The Quarrymen were playing. The churchyard also holds the grave of Lennon's uncle, George Toogood Smith. The church itself was demolished in 1922, but the cemetery remains.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool International Airport is the real Liverpool John Lennon Airport, on the banks of the River Mersey about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) southeast of the city centre. It was Speke Airport until 2001 and the terminal displays Beatles memorabilia. Jack and Rocky land to find a crowd of fans already waiting for him. It is a working airport, so you will only see the terminal if you are flying.
St. George's Hall chase
St. George's Hall is the Grade I listed Neoclassical building that faces Lime Street railway station in central Liverpool. It opened in 1854 and houses concert halls and law courts. Jack and Rocky sprint past its facade toward Lime Street, desperate to reach Ellie before she leaves. You can see the exterior from the surrounding plateau and gardens.
Port of Liverpool Building
The Port of Liverpool Building, also called the Dock Office, is one of the Three Graces at Pier Head, beside the Royal Liver Building and the Cunard Building. The Edwardian Baroque building was built for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. On screen it stands in for the Liverpool Hotel. Jack bursts out and runs across the waterfront, hoping to tell Ellie how he feels before it is too late. The waterfront outside is open to the public.
Lime Street Station cafe
The Liverpool Caf茅 scene was filmed at Liverpool Lime Street Station, which opened in 1836 and is the oldest operating grand terminus mainline station in the world. The unit used is an Upper Crust. Jack and Ellie (Lily James) sit down to work out where they stand before he leaves for America. It is a working station caf茅, so a coffee there is the easiest way in.
Clacton Pier
Clacton Pier in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, opened on 27 July 1871 and was lengthened in 1893. A 15-metre (50-foot) helter-skelter was added after 2009. Jack plays here early in the film while passers-by pay him no attention. The pier is a rides-and-amusements attraction, so expect crowds in summer.
Public Square
The Public Square scene was shot nearby in Clacton-on-Sea, close to the seafront shops and restaurants. Jack is a street artist again, working hard to attract a crowd while people walk past. The scene foreshadows his discovery of The Beatles' songs. It is a public part of town, easy to walk through.
The Ramsholt Arms
The Ramsholt Arms is a riverside pub on the River Deben in Ramsholt, a Suffolk village about 30 minutes east of Ipswich. Here Jack plays "Yesterday" for friends, including Ellie (Lily James), and realises nobody has heard of the song or the band. He tries to explain, and is met with blank stares. The terrace is the draw, with seafood and views over the river.
Buckenham Station
Buckenham Station serves a small Norfolk village on the River Yare, about 11 kilometres (7 miles) southeast of Norwich. Station code BUC. It stands in for the village where Gavin's tiny studio, Sonic Fruit, is located. Jack and Ellie arrive there, and Gavin (Alexander Arnold) offers to help for free, so Jack records his Beatles reinterpretations. Joel Fry also appears. It is a working stop on the Wherry Lines.
The Reedcutter
The Reedcutter is a traditional riverside pub near Cantley in Norfolk, with a terrace overlooking the River Yare. Jack is about to give up on music when Ellie hands him Gavin's invitation to record. It is a short walk from Cantley railway station, and the terrace is a place to watch boats go by.
How to plan the visit
- Liverpool holds seven stops: the airport, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the cemetery, St. George's Hall, the Port of Liverpool Building and Lime Street Station. The airport is the one far from the centre.
- Gorleston-on-Sea holds three stops on the Norfolk coast: the Pier Hotel, the Pavilion Theatre area and the family home. The Buckenham and Reedcutter stops are nearby, along the River Yare.
- Pubs, hotels, the station and the pier are working businesses, so visit as a customer. The family home is in a residential area, so view it from a distance and keep quiet.
- Shingle Street and Ramsholt are remote, so allow extra travel time.
- Clacton-on-Sea's two stops are in the same seaside town and fit in one visit.
- Exact map pins are in the Go On Set app.
Quick answers
Where was Yesterday filmed?
Mainly in Liverpool and on the Norfolk coast, with further stops in Suffolk and in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.
How many Yesterday filming locations are there?
There are 16 in this guide: seven in Liverpool, three in Gorleston-on-Sea, two in Clacton-on-Sea, plus Shingle Street, Ramsholt, Buckenham and The Reedcutter.
Where was the rooftop concert filmed?
Jack sings "HELP!" from the roof of the Pier Hotel in Gorleston-on-Sea.
Can you visit the Yesterday filming locations?
Most are public places such as Penny Lane, the Pier Gardens and Lime Street Station. The pubs and hotel are businesses, and the Malik family home is in a residential area.