Filming of Star Wars series Andor and other shows brings £1.1m boost to area

Filming of productions such as the Star Wars series Andor and a crime drama by Sir Ian Rankin has brought a £1.1 million boost to the Argyll and Bute economy over two years.

Argyll and Bute Council said accommodation providers, local shops, caterers and services are all benefitting from an increase in filming in the area.

Key scenes from Disney+ series Andor, which stars Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgard, were filmed at Cruachan Power Station and Ben Cruachan in June 2021.

Between January 2021 and January this year, 89 productions were filmed in Argyll and Bute, bringing an estimated £1.1 million to the local area.

Councillor Liz McCabe, the council’s policy lead for islands and business development, said: “In Argyll and Bute, we are proud to be able to offer some of the world’s best scenic backdrops to the screen industry.

Productions filmed in the area over the last two years also include the BBC drama Float, shot at the former Helensburgh Swimming Pool, while Oban Airport featured as a location in Top Gear.

Murder Island, a drama written by Sir Ian, was filmed on Gigha over six weeks from May 2021.

The council said the sector continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic with a substantial rise in filming requests now starting to come in.

Its film service continues to work with production companies and Screen Scotland to attract inward investment across the area.

A council update report on filming said it is “highly likely” that creating more studio space in the central belt is having a positive economic impact on surrounding areas of Scotland.