Trailer for Mr Bates vs The Post Office filmed in Llandudno

Earlier this year, filming took place in Llandudno for the four part series. 

The drama tells the story of one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.

Julie Hesmondhalgh was seen outside the St David's Hospice shop which was transformed into the Post Office / Wool Post (Image: Glenda Tobin)
Hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system. Many of the wronged workers were prosecuted, some of whom were imprisoned for crimes they never committed, and their lives were irreparably ruined by the scandal.

The series stars some big-name actors/actresses including BAFTA award-winning Toby Jones (Empire of Light, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Detectorists) who will play Alan Bates and  Julie Hesmondhalgh (The Pact, The Trouble With Maggie Cole, Broadchurch and Coronation Street). Both actors were spotted in Craig-y-Don in July.

The programme will also star Monica Dolan (The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe), Alex Jennings (This Is Going to Hurt, The Crown), Ian Hart (The Responder), Lia Williams (The Crown, The Capture), Will Mellor (Coronation Street, No Offence), Clare Calbraith (Grace, Anne), Shaun Dooley (Gentleman Jack, It’s A Sin), Amit Shah (Happy Valley) Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) Adam James (The Suspect, Vigil) and Katherine Kelly (Bloods, Gentleman Jack).

The trailer starts with a pan of Queen's Road in Craig-y-Don. 

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The St David's Hospice charity outlet was used as the main location; the shop was transformed into the former wool and clothes shop, known as the Wool Post, and Post Office. This shop / post office was once run by Mr Bates, whose actions exposed Britain’s biggest miscarriage of justice.

Photographer DJ Peaks told the Pioneer at the time: "While Toby's scenes were indoors, the main focus of the exterior scene that I observed being filmed, while I was nearby, was the arrival of police officers to accompany post office staff into the premises while shutting out awaiting customers.

"While the set was being prepared and crew set up in locations to film, Toby Jones moved outside to the pavement to talk to crew, fellow cast and fans passing by who requested he join in with 'selfie' style photographs. 

"The scene itself was the arrival of a police car to add their presence to the waiting 'Post Office' officials, escort them into the building and close-up the premises in the faces of awaiting customers."

Resident Glenda Tobin spotted actress Hesmondhalgh in Craig-y-Don in July and Jones.

She said at the time: "It was great to see them filming the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office in Craig-y-Don. They restored the old Post Office for the filming, which is the real location the story took place in.

"I could see Toby Jones, who plays Mr Bates, sitting behind the post office counter filming his scenes and actress Julie Hesmondhalgh filming scenes both inside and outside."

Toby Jones outside the Post Office in July that was 'recreated' for the ITV drama. (Image: DJ Peaks photography)
Between 2000 and 2015, the Post Office held thousands of its own sub postmasters and postmistresses liable for financial discrepancies thrown up by Horizon, its hugely expensive but unreliable computerised accounting system. 

Despite warnings that the system was flawed, the Post Office relentlessly pursued the sub postmasters and postmistresses, telling many of them they were the only ones having problems with Horizon.

Of those affected by the faulty IT system, 736 were prosecuted, hundreds more lost livelihoods, homes and life savings because they paid back money the Post Office claimed was missing.

Several went to prison, some whilst pregnant or with young children and many were shunned by their communities. Some have since died before they could find any justice.  

The drama, directed by James Strong (Broadchurch, Crime, Vigil) and produced by Chris Clough (World On Fire, The Missing), will narrate how in 2009, a group of sub postmasters from across the UK, decided enough was enough and formed the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance.

The series will air in 2024. The first trailer states 'Coming soon'.