Village wakes up to cult show

Royston Vasey has put Hadfield on the map

To many the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire is better known as Royston Vasey from the bizarre comedy the League of Gentlemen.

In a special investigation, BBC One East Midlands' Inside Out looked at how the cult status of the comedy series has changed the once quiet village.

For generations, villagers in sleepy Hadfield in Derbyshire's Peak District had gone about their business relatively untroubled.

But that changed three years ago when a television crew descended on the village to film a macabre comedy series.

Some people are very, very taken over when they arrive here

Steve Burton, tour guide

Now the cult status of BBC Two's League of Gentlemen has seen coachloads of fans visiting the village.

Tours have been set up and some fans have even decided to move to the village, known as Royston Vasey in the show.

Most villagers say it is good for business and has put Hadfield on the map - but others remain sceptical.

Locals concern

They do not like the way villagers in the comedy are depicted as cannibals and weirdos.

Resident Steve Burton said: "It all changed for Hadfield about three years ago when the first TV crews turned up.

Fans dress as characters from the comedy

"We went from being a sleepy dormitory village in north Derbyshire to being a tourist magnet from people all round the world.

"The initial reaction was welcoming because a film crew is very interesting.

"Then when the programme went out some of the locals disliked it because they didn't like the way it portrayed Hadfield."

Homing in

But, along with shopkeepers and other businesses, Mr Burton has benefitted.

He decided to set up a tour of the village for fans.

"Some people are very, very taken over when they arrive here.

"It is real, it exists, it is not a prop.

Hadfield is often better known as Royston Vasey

"They come here to see the location to meet other fans and have a good day out."

For some, however, one or two day trips are not enough.

Karen and Steve Hadley, who have visited Hadfield 10 times, have decided to move there.

They are planning to uproot from their home in Birmingham and ideally want to live in a house used in the programme.

Mrs Hadley said: "I love it now and I want to move here. We are just League of Gentlemen fans."

Inside Out is on BBC One East Midlands at 1930 BST on Monday.

The third series of the League of Gentlemen begins on Thursday 26 September at 2200 BST on BBC Two.