Ruby Blue

Looking across the bay at Margate in Kent with the Harbour arm stretching out to sea. The harbour can also be seen in 'Last Orders' and 'King of Thieves'.

The tide's in and it's not quite the right angle, but we're still looking across the bay. (PW)

Hoskins is dumped by his son after his wife's funeral. Royal Esplanade in Ramsgate, Kent.

Royal Esplanade now. SJ

The view from Westcliffe Promenade, Ramsgate. The location features in 'Son of Rambow'.

The Richborough Towers (three cooling towers and a chimney stack) were demolished on 11 March 2012, and a landmark lost forever. SJ

Hoskins pauses with the urn of his wife's ashes by a bowling green.

And there are the same two figures. Royal Esplanade, Ramsgate. SJ

Hoskins takes on the local youths and clears up their litter.

The Falstaff, Hoskins' local. 16-18 Addington Street, Ramsgate.

Being renovated when I visited. SJ

Hoskins walks home.

The stone lion has gone but this is Hoskin's street, from about where the camera was positioned but using a longer lens to bring the background closer. SJ

And arrives home. This is Cliff View Road, Cliffs End, west of Ramsgate.

Opposite no28. SJ

Now further south along the east coast of Kent in Deal.

This is Deal's High Street just north of Oak Street. SJ

Back to Cliffs End, where Stewart befriends Tomkinson.

Unwilling to trespass, I stood near the drive facing no27 seen in the background of the "then." SJ

Cliffs End, Kent.

Looking north up Cliff's View Road. SJ

The Granville, Victoria Parade, Ramsgate.

Not quite the right angle: why do I always think I can remember it? Taken from Victoria Road. SJ

This looks like Marine Drive, Margate as a couple of lads find Hoskins' discarded whisky bottle.

Latham, all a-beer swilling and fishing on Deal Pier.

Looking northwest from the end of the pier. SJ

Hoskins considers tucking into his sandwiches.

Deal Pier. SJ

Latham on the far left, Hoskins on the far right.

A less crowded fishing fraternity on Deal Pier. SJ

One of several JC Rook & Sons, a butcher chain, in east Kent.

This one is at 77-79 Deal High Street. The chain was founded by Joseph Christmas Rook in about 1965. SJ

Stewart's mother Angelica O'Reilly leaves the hop farm where she works. Barnsole Hop Farm on Fleming Road, east of Staple and not too far from Wingham, seen in 'A Canterbury Tale'.

Barnsole Hop Farm, Fleming Road now. SJ

Tomkinson takes on some potential bullies in a park, Ellington Park, Ramsgate, near the railway station: a lucky find.

The tree has gone but the one at the back matches. Ellington Park, Ramsgate, near the train station. SJ

Hoskins pays a visit to the butcher's, not actually a butcher's. This is the same area seen earlier.

Now although the JC Rook is the established shot, this is actually further north on the High Street ... the open-fronted wet fish shop ‘Jenkins and Son’ clarified by local Tony Wilson. SJ

Cliffs End, and a shot of Hoskins' side entrance leading to where he keeps his pigeons... in 2022 Andrew Russell who lives here now says that the pigeon lofts have however been removed and the inside of the house is completely different now but it was great to see Bob Hoskins having a cigarette in his conservatory.

And the google aerial shots show a potential structure housing pigeon lofts in the back garden. SJ

Stewart, who lives next door to Hoskins, with a glimpse of the gone Richborough Towers on the horizon.

The now absent towers at least helped pinpoint the location. SJ

Ramsgate drinking den.

Deal just north of the pier.

Now with new sea defences. SJ

And there's the reverse pov

And here's mine. SJ

Hoskins and Balasko on Deal pier with Chloe Sirene.

The south end of the pier extremity. SJ

Hoskins helping Stewart learn to ride her bicycle in a park, possibly in Ramsgate.

Yes Ellington Park, also seen earlier. SJ

Latham and Altin on an estate.

Racing the pigeons including Hoskins' precious Ruby Blue.

Illiterate vandals target Hoskins' house in Cliffs End.

The trellis and graffito have gone. SJ

Ramsgate station where Hoskins and Balasko set off for their trip to France.

Another "off" angle. SJ

Hoskins finds out that Balasko is driving the train.

Doors no longer blue. SJ

The store opposite the Falstaff, seen above. Ashley McGuire lights one up.

Now a Londis, but was Terry & Anita last time streeview went by. On the corner of Townley Street and Addington Street. SJ

Lawrence and Tomkinson on a bike ride.

This is Pegwell Bay. south of Ramsgate, and the replica of Hugin a Viking longboat. SJ

A good shot of Ramsgate Harbour also seen in The Big Sleep.

Not sure what lens the cinematographer was using but it prompted my first photomerge in photoshop. One can barely see the join. SJ

And another from the multi-storey car park as a car is stolen.

It's gone now, see? SJ

The girls bike along North Foreland Hill next to Joss Bay just north of Broadstairs.

Now while only a stroll for a motorised film unit, this would have been quite a bike ride from Pegwell Bay (see above) for the girls. SJ

Deciding to split up.

Same lamppost with black hole in the middle. Out of shot is a lighthouse seen in 'Gypo' made by the same director. SJ

And Stewart makes her own way home...

... and going in the wrong direction. SJ

Hoskins and Balasko enjoy "France" but it may be Kent.

Suspicious neighbours watch the police.

Unknown location. Hoskins' son's place.

The police stop by to question Altin. The distinctive tree on the left helps to locate this as Victoria Parade, Ramsgate, at the junction with Winterstoke Crescent. (SteveRandall)

The police arrive at Hoskins' house in Cliffs End.

Now back at no28. SJ

Balasko searches the Falstaff for Hoskins.

Under renovation in late August 2013. The renovators were aware of its appearance in the film. SJ

Wilton approaches his butcher's shop to find Latham running out.

Shop closed at the time. Deal High Street. SJ

Much of the cast assemble in Cliffs End, blocking out most of the architecture. Almost too many actors on the real street.

Looking north up the road. SJ

Hoskins and Balasko at Ramsgate Harbour.

Again not the right angle but the buildings on the left match. SJ

Reverse pov.

No access for landlubbers here. SJ