Andrew Bray of Andrew's Greengrocers, Holmfirth. Mr Summer Wine

Many fans will remember the headlines in the national press during August, 2005, when the Summer Wine cameras threatened to pull out of Holmfirth following an alleged dispute over spiraling filming charges. Luckily, the dispute came to nothing and the BBC cameras are booked in for another session of filming in 2006. Helping to smooth things over during the row was local greengrocer Andrew Bray, our "Mr Summer Wine", who runs the busy greengrocers shop in the centre of Holmfirth. Andrew not only has a deep interest and involvement in the series, and was a good friend of Compos, but is also keen to speak up for the image of Holmfirth and do what he can to promote the town. In fact, many UK rans (and some abroad) will have probably seen him on TV, or heard him on the radio, or seen his name in the press. He is often sought out by the press when they descent on Holmfirth to do another news item on Summer Wine. During the recent dispute, he was interviewed by the local and national media, including BBC Belfast, who he persuaded to run a piece on Holmfirth as a tourist destination! They agreed to interview him again in early 2006 to find out how the Holme Valley might interest visitors taking advantage of the cheap flights to Leeds and Bradford airport. Now he is hitting the headlines again - this time on the Summer Wine website - after writer Gerald Hayne popped into his shop on Huddersfield Road.

Visitors to the hub of Summer Wine country will of course make their way to Holmfirth where there are, as may be seen from other articles on this site, things to see and do which are connected in some way with our favourite programme. What many visitors may not realize is that there are some local characters quietly going about their businesses who have extensive knowledge of the actors and crew and many aspects of the filming and production locally over the last 33 years. So it was that having been given some inside information in order to meet one of these, I made my way one day to number 64 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth to the business known as Andrew’s.

Andrew, of Andrew's Greengrocers, 64 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth

Here one finds a successful purveyor of fruit, vegetables and fish who also supplies goods to local hotels and catering establishments. After waiting for a temporary lull in serving in this busy shop I was fortunate to meet Andrew Bray, the proprietor and the true extent of his interest in Summer Wine matters soon became clear.

Andrew had just returned from a holiday in the USA and was fascinated to report that when using a taxi there to get to a Florida hotel, the driver had commented about the programme and also that it was so much better than so much on American television these days which was “so poor”! I asked Andrew about his meetings with members of the cast and he started by saying that he was probably the first local person, at eleven years of age, to meet the late Bill Owen (Compo).

Some discussion took place regarding a fishing rod and this forged a friendship which lasted over all the years that Bill came to Holmfirth; Bill never forgot and was always pleased to come into the shop and say hello and have a chat with him. Bill did a lot to help local businesses and spoke to him once a month over the telephone. He had never liked very much publicity and used to walk around Holmfirth with locals saying “how do, Bill” and he had clearly felt very much at home. He always provided autographs and posed for photographs with folk, however, as he said it was “part of my job”.

Even after the diagnosis of cancer Bill was determined to do as much as he could for the episodes being filmed; Andrew found it quite unbelievable that he spoke to Bill on a Friday and Bill was dead by the following Tuesday. Andrew commented that the actors are amongst some of the nicest people he has met; he particularly recalls his pleasure at talking to the late Dame

Thora Hird and so many of the others over nearly all his life so far. Thora used to come to his business and buy plants even though towards the end she was in a wheelchair. At that time, however, Andrew recalls very clearly that whenever Thora had a stage or studio appearance to make she would do her best to appear un-aided saying to him “young man, if I cannot walk on stage I had rather be 6 foot under!” Andrew thought she was a determined person; she said “well, I need the money!” He thought she was a lovely lady whose character contributed hugely to the success of Summer Wine whenever she was in it.

I asked Andrew what was so special about Holmfirth and he thought that it was the sheer quantity of superb photographic settings in and around the area; the crew were never short of rivers, canals, railways, hills and woods in which the mature pranksters could live out their exploits and adventures as they relive their childhoods. Andrew felt that perhaps even more could be done for Summer Wine tourists and has himself organized events based on the cast and the programme; but he thought that more could be done to encourage even further folk to visit and enjoy being in the area.

There was still a need for funds to be raised for the statue of Compo/Bill to be installed and perhaps facilities for conventions for fans and visitors to the area to supplement the existing hotels which, however good, were naturally of the smaller variety.

I was clearly in the presence of a great Summer Wine fan and enthusiast and, in particular, a man who is fiercely proud of his town, his heritage and his involvement with the original Yorkshire culture base on which 33 years of our best comedy programme has been based. He impressed me with his knowledge and involvement with life locally and, if you are as lucky as I was, you should visit Andrew’s and meet for yourself one of Holmfirth’s most interesting real life characters.

Gerald

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