Charity tea room may close despite Ludwig filming

David Mitchell filming Ludwig in costume, acting as if he is taking a phone call

Image source, Dan StobbsImage caption,

David Mitchell has been filming new episodes of Ludwig in Hemel Hempstead

ByDanny FullbrookBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Published29 minutes ago

A tea room being used to film the third series of Ludwig starring David Mitchell could close permanently unless it raises £25,000.

Trustees of the volunteer-run Liberty Tea Rooms and Community Hub in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, said the charity was in an "extremely low cash position".

Mark Kitson, chairman of the trustees, said the series being filmed at the venue had created a real buzz and it had been good to hire it out "at a time that we really need the extra funds".

The tea room is temporarily closed until 7 October while filming takes place for Ludwig; its frontage has been transformed to resemble a bank, which it was before becoming a community venue.

Image source, Liberty Tea RoomsImage caption,

Liberty Tea Room volunteers provide support for people in the community facing difficulty

The same view of Liberty Tea Rooms but now it has been dressed to look like a bank

Image source, Dan StobbsImage caption,

Film crews have made the team room look like a fictional bank for the latest series of Ludwig

The charity has already reduced staffing costs, but trustees said it would close permanently unless it raised £25,000 by the end of October.

Kitson said: "Lots of towns and high streets are having tough times at the moment.

"When you come into the Tea Rooms, someone will welcome you, talk to you if you want a chat, offer a meal if you need it, and can also provide debt advice or a food bank parcel.

"You might just want tea and a scone, but if you need something more, we will do our very best to help you."

A busy street full of extras and film crews, David Mitchell is stood in the middle reading a script with a man dressed in black

Image source, Dan StobbsImage caption,

The tea room has been closed between 15 September and 7 October while filming takes place

Filming will take place inside and outside the building over several weeks, with a rain machine due to be used for one scene.

Kitson said the production team would restore the tea room once filming was completed, as well as repairing a broken window and updating its signage.

He added: "The filming has been brilliant. It's created a real buzz and excitement on Hemel Hempstead High Street, and for our team and volunteers, they have also paid us a fee for being in the building at a time that we really need the extra funds."

Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts or Bucks? Contact us below.