James Bond

Visits Holywell Bay 2002

In November 2001 we (Pennasville Holidays) were approached by EON Productions requesting the use of our site for approximately 4 weeks, while they constructed the film set, for the new James Bond film.
At 8am on the 11th February 2002 the construction crew arrived.
The Games room was turned into a makeshift canteen.  No:27 Pennrice was used to prepare the food. 8 security men stayed in the Villas keeping 24 hour watch on their equipment and film set on the beach.  Holywell Bay was slowly being transformed into North Korea battle field.
A metal roadway was laid from the games room, right out onto the beach and around the river to protect the ground from the enormous amount of diggers and heavy vehicles transporting men and materials out beach. Gaiters (Quad type vehicles) were brought in for the men to use to get in and out from the set and the river was also diverted so to make it easier to transport things.                        The Lifeguard hut was turned into a Pill box with barbed wire and tank traps placed in the sand portraying a North Korean battle field.
 

February 28th 2002 saw the arrival of the director, Lee Tamahouri, the camera crew and a few actors.
No:26  Pennrice was quickly transformed into makeup and wardrobe and we eagerly awaited the action.
Locals flocked to see what all the fuss was about
Stories circulated of the Lifeguard hut being blown up and hovercraft landing on the beach, but no such excitement happened. All the action shots were to be filmed in the studios and slotted in later.

Filming lasted just 4 nights beginning at 5pm until about 7pm, creating the illusion of night time.
Men were shot surfing in on waves and running up the beach.  Soldiers were filmed patrolling the beach armed with guns. Many empty shots were also filmed to be later used in the studio.  A Newquay fishing boat was used out at sea with a camera strapped to the back to film the beach to give the illusion of James Bond on a surf board watching the beach before his attack  All these scenes were to form part of the opening shots in the new bond film,  due to be released in November 2002.
Filming did not all go to plan. While filming we had some of the highest tides of the year. The seas were extremely rough and we also had very high winds. Many of the tank traps and film set was carried either around the river or out to sea during the night, some were rescued but some were never to be seen again.

Many local people were employed by Eon Productions.  Smugglers Den, Cubert provided the catering for the film crew and workmen and was highly praised. Men from the village were employed to help build the set.  I believe the two local pubs, Treguth and St Pirans did very well from the security guards when they were off duty .
The village became quite an attraction as journalists and TV crews flocked trying to catch site of Pierce Brosnan. 

On the 5th March 2002 the last piece of the set was taken away and Holywell Bay  returned to the Holywell Bay we all know and love.
We all now eagerly await Bond XX, as it was called then, or as it is now known "Die another Day".

If you would like to know more about the 20th James bond film "Die another Day"

then please visit the James Bond website at:

www.jamesbond.com

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