Side by Side

The film opens with Inspector Crumb delivering notices to appear in court to the Golden Nugget and Sound City, two run down clubs standing 'Side by Side' in the provincial town of of Sludgely, The properties stand on Fisher's Lane off Chiswick High Road in London W4 located by Eric Parsons.

About here looking west down the newly created Dolman Road. The rear of 290 Chiswick High Road with the pointed roof on the white wall on the left seems to be the only survivor and would be behind the original. SJ

Attending Sludgley Magistrates Court, the respective club owners answer charges of a breach of the peace after Max Nugget was caught defacing a poster outside the rival Sound City. The Town Hall on Market Square in Staines, Surrey. The building can also be seen in ‘The File of the Golden Goose’, 'Birth of the Beatles', 'The Love Ban' and 'Ali G Indahouse'.

The square is no longer used as a car park as can be seen in Nick Boorman's ground level image.

Gary (Billy Boyle) leaves the court after the Magistrate tells the club owners that only one of their licences will be renewed at the end of the month. Looking across the frontage of the Town Hall in Market Square. The building also appears in ‘The Love Ban’, ‘The File of the Golden Goose’ and 'Ali G Indahouse'.

Nick Boorman's comparison of the redeveloped area shows that the telephone boxes have been retained. A nice touch.

The proprietor of Sound City gets onto his motorbike. Outside Staines Town Hall with the ground floor of Caxton House filling the background. Nick Boorman tells us that "To the right of the capture stood a jewellers shop that continued to mark merchandise in £sd up until the premises were demolished, which was a cause of great merriment amongst youngsters."

The area has been totally redeveloped since 1975 as Nick's view proves.

Determined that his licence should be renewed, Gary heads for London to find an agent who can supply top rock bands for Sound City. Staines Town Hall in Staines, Surrey.

Nick Boorman provides this shot of a much cleaner looking Town Hall now being redeveloped as housing.

Accompanied by "Bang! Ooh! You Got Me!" by Skyband, Gary's journey continues. In the right background stands Petters Causeway Works at the corner of Thorpe Road and The Causeway in Staines. With thanks to Eric Parsons for identifying the song.

The straightened up location from Nick who adds that "Petters was a major employer in Staines and stood on the site of the Lagonda Motor Car Plant. It was demolished in the early 90s and the site is now occupied by the supermarket seen here."

During the seemingly aimless motorway journey south from Sludgley along on the M1, Gary encounters a junction. The roundabout at the junction of Westway and West Cross Route with Frinstead House and Markland House on Darfield Way W10 in the left background.

Richard Bennett was on the case with this dash cam view.

Gary passes a service station before seeing signs for Edgware and London. Continuity becomes confused as this is the then recently rebranded Motor Chef at Scratchwood on the M1 in Barnet, Greater London . . . target of HMS Belfast’s guns.

Taking the London direction on the M1, Gary ends up on the A40! Facing east on Westway in the vicinity of Torquay Street W2 with Braithwaite Tower and Hall Tower in the left distance.

The towers are no longer visible, but still stand behind the trees, and the Westway has since been downgraded from motorway status to a standard trunk road as evidenced by the change in colour of the exit marker. The speed limit is now a ridiculous and inescapable 30mph enforced by average speed cameras at regular intervals. Which at least allowed Richard Bennett to take this shot.

The A40 Westway south of Little Venice with Canal House, British Rail’s then new maintenance depot, since named The Battleship Building, to the left. The iconic office block also appears in 'Saving Grace', 'Entertaining Mr. Sloane' and 'Give My Regards to Broad Street'.

Richard Bennett found that there isn’t a good angle without using a drone adding that part of the Battleship Building between the upper and lower tiers of the Westway/Harrow Road roundabout can just be made out to the centre.

Panning with the motorcyclist the camera finds the Paddington Branch of the Grand Union Canal to the left as it passes beneath Westway .

Taking this comparison without the required elevation, Richard Bennett ponders "It looks like this and other captures in the sequence were taken from a crane in the middle of Bishop’s Bridge Road."

Westway with John Aird Court in the left background and buildings on St. Mary’s Terrace to the right.

Richard Bennett took the best shot possible with the Travis Perkins builders’ merchant prominent to the left centre.

Westway at the junction of Bishops Bridge Road and Harrow Road in W2 with Braithwaite Tower and Hall Tower in the background.

Facing the same direction from road level, captured by Richard Bennett.

The unfathomable tune is immediately forgotten as it fades out when Gary nears the end of his ride. In the right background, the A40 returns to ground level at Paddington Green before taking to the air again as the Marylebone Flyover.

Richard Bennett faced the former location of Paddington Green police station.

Rodney (Barry Humphries) and Max Nugget (Terry-Thomas) make their way back to the Golden Nugget. Eric Parsons identifies this as Fisher's Lane W4 adding that the terrace has since been demolished and Dolman Road now occupies the site.

A wider shot of Fisher's Lane and Dolman Road running off to the right. That appears to be an extension to the rear of 282/4 Chiswick High Road which is where the southern end of the terrace of 2-12 Fisher's Lane was. SJ

At the offices of Three Rs, Rock and Roll Representation, Julia Forester (Stephanie de Sykes) answers a call from her uncle, Max Nugget. Looking through the windows on the ground floor of the Royal Kensington onto the junction of Kensington High Street and Russell Road in W14.

This is the corner of Russell Road and Kensington High Street. SJ

Watched by a Security Guard, Gary parks his bike outside the Three Rs office. Peter W. identifies the background building as Charles House on Kensington High Street W14 which was built as a hospital but never used as such. Peter adds that "The building became government offices in the 1960s. I worked there from 1987 until it was repurposed as luxury flats around 20 years ago."

The flats follow the line of Charles House to a certain extent. SJ

Alf the Security Guard (Neil McCarthy) stops Gary when he enters the building. Looking out onto Russell Road and the garage at the corner of Kensington High Street which has long since given way to gardens at the front of Kensington Park Medical Centre.

Taken from just outside the building, looking west. SJ

Thrown out of the office when Julia leaves, Gary helps her up after knocking her down. Outside the Royal Kensington Hotel, looking south-westward along Kensington High Street with the Hand & Flower public house at the corner of Addison Bridge Place beyond the railway bridge in the right distance. The location can also be seen in 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'.

Ben C provides this shot explaining that the Hand & Flower is currently painted white.

Calling to her, Gary follows Julia when she walks away. Following on from Peter W's identification of Charles House opposite, this is facing the ground floor of the Royal Kensington Hotel on Kensington High Street in W14.

Rather grim looking for an ex-hotel. SJ

Once over the road, Julia crosses Trafalgar Square. With a terrible disregard for continuity, we are now in London WC2.

The bollards look cleaner. SJ

Gary attempts to persuade Julia to help his with acts for his club. Trafalgar Square with Spring Gardens in the right background.

Taken later in the morning straight into the sun. SJ

After Julie tells him that she'll show him all the big rock and roll groups if he can find a comedian for her uncle, Gary returns to Sound City. Eric Parsons discovered that, according to the 1975 telephone directory, Jaska occupied 229e Chiswick High Road which stood opposite Fisher's Lane, a one way street that is here being driven along in the wrong direction.

The Eye Studio currently occupies 229e on the corner of Duke's Road. SJ

Leaving his club after a performance by The Rubettes, Gary rides back to London to meet Julia. The junction of High Street and Manor Farm Avenue opposite Thurlestone Parade in Shepperton, Surrey located by Dave Picky. Nick Boorman points out that the garage is seen from the forecourt in 'Two Letter Alibi'.

Nick Boorman notes a change of ownership to the supermarket but otherwise very little has altered.

Max and his nephew Rodney follow Gary in their Messerschmitt KR200. Recognised by Dave Picky, this is looking towards the Barley Mow public house on Englefield Green, Surrey which, David Bonney points out, also appears in 'The Wrong Box'.

Nick Boorman captures the scene without the aid of a Messerschmitt.

The pair lose Gary when Rodney steers the wrong way through road works. This is Runnymede Roundabout at the junction of Runnymede Road, Windsor Road, Staines By-Pass, The Glanty and The Avenue in Egham, Surrey identified by Nick Boorman.

As an accurate comparison view is almost impossible, Nick took this shot of Windsor Road from the roundabout.

Max directs his nephew to a short cut, during which the road comes to an end and the two end up at the bottom of a quarry. Located by Nick Boorman this is facing east along Windsor Road from Runnymede Roundabout in Egham with one of the Lutyens Kiosks to the right.

Nick provides this clearer view of the location.

Gary picks Julia up and the two ride into Town for an evening out while Mac & Katie Kissoon sing "Sugar Candy Kisses". Left to wonder why he did not establish the location 'first time round', Dave W found that a fresh mind was the answer, so here we have them exiting Rose Street, London WC2 into Floral Street. (RL)

Paul Lincoln nevertheless found the location first time round and captured this shot for us. (RL)

The pair head to The Basement studio before continuing on to the Marquee. Dave W says, "probably", but it is more like, certainly, to be Goodwin's Court, London WC2 looking towards Bedfordbury. (RL)

Also seen the other way in "Mary Poppins Returns." SJ

As day turns to night, Gary and Julia carry on enjoying themselves. The corner of Piccadilly Circus and Shaftesbury Avenue in W1.

The scene now. SJ

The two leave the Talk of the Town after a dance. The corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road WC1.

Now back to its original name of The Hippodrome. SJ

Gary and Julia cross the road. In the background stands the still extant Angus Steak House on the opposite corner of Charing Cross Road and Cranbourn Street.

Confirming the longevity of the Angus Steak House. SJ

The sights are taken in at Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly Circus W1 with Lilllywhites in the right background.

Lillywhites is still going. SJ

And then we're all at the Albert Bridge connecting Chelsea with Battersea across the River Thames before Julia takes Gary to her West London home.

The best interpretation I can make of the very dark capture. (RL)

The following day, Gary shows off by taking Julia to the Rainbow Room at Biba on Kensington High Street SW7.

The old Derry and Toms now. Biba only lasted two years here until 1975. SJ

Discovering that Julia is looking for acts for his nemesis Max Nugget, Gary leaves her and London behind. Facing southward on the M1 with the Midland Main Line to the right and the bridge carrying Edgware Way in the top background.

En route, Gary takes a lonely break at a motorway service station. Motor Chef at Scratchwood in Barnet.

All ends well with the two clubs merging to become Golden City when a brawl knocks the wall down between them. Fisher's Lane in Chiswick W4 found by Eric Parsons.

One has to imagine no curve or road here on the site of the former terrace. SJ