The "Packhorse Cafe" in "If...." (1968) - Britmovie

Alan Looyd · 19-04-2006, 10:04 AM

Can anybody out there help me with finding the location of the infamous bike ride from the wonderful If... ?

I know the majority was shot around Cheltenham, but where was that Cafe ??

The actor David Wood reckoned it may have been somewhere on the A1 !, yet the bike ride does definately take in some roads around Tewksbury.

Can anyone shed a little more light on this

Many thanks

Steve Crook · 19-04-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

(Alan Looyd @ Apr 19 2006, 11:04 AM)
Can anybody out there help me with finding the location of the infamous bike ride from the wonderful If... ?

I know the majority was shot around Cheltenham, but where was that Cafe ??

The actor David Wood reckoned it may have been somewhere on the A1 !, yet the bike ride does definately take in some roads around Tewksbury.

Can anyone shed a little more light on this

Many thanks

It's been reported here before & I put it on the IMDb locations page for the film.

It's the Packhorse Cafe on the Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham.
But it's not there any more.

There's a web page at if.... (1968) Malcolm McDowell, Lindsay Anderson, David Sherwin that has quite a few location details from the film.

I think David Wood misremembered it.

Steve

Alan Looyd · 25-04-2006, 06:37 PM

Steve

Many thanks for that info......my quest is over !

But what about any location details for O lucky man ????

Anything ?

regards]
Alan

Steve Crook · 25-04-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

(Alan Looyd @ Apr 25 2006, 07:37 PM)
Steve

Many thanks for that info......my quest is over !

But what about any location details for O lucky man ????

Anything ?

regards
Alan

Start with the same places, the IMDb page for the film has a couple of locations listed.
If you then google for those with the film's title you could well find some more

Steve

Michael L Rick · 01-03-2008, 06:58 PM

Despite much "correspondence", with a variety of correspondents (all with their own ideas) on IMDB, I have been unable to locate the above transport cafe (where Malcolm McDowell and Christine Noonan have their naked "wrestling match"). Can anyone assist? Maybe you were one of those truck-drivers that watched the "closed set" through the windows of the cafe??

mariocki · 01-03-2008, 08:43 PM

Able to post some screen grabs Michael?

Michael L Rick · 01-03-2008, 09:17 PM

I have tried ("Avengerland" made the same suggestion), but my "Dell" refuses to co-operate!

Steve Crook · 01-03-2008, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael L Rick

Despite much "correspondence", with a variety of correspondents (all with their own ideas) on IMDB, I have been unable to locate the above transport cafe (where Malcolm McDowell and Christine Noonan have their naked "wrestling match"). Can anyone assist? Maybe you were one of those truck-drivers that watched the "closed set" through the windows of the cafe??

You probably can't locate it because it's not there any more.
As it says above

Quote:

It's the Packhorse Cafe on the Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham.
But it's not there any more.

Steve

Michael L Rick · 02-03-2008, 11:08 AM

Steve,

Thanks. I should have been more precise and said the location "site".

Despite the "Tewkesbury Road" being somewhat ambiguous (it's probably the road "to" Tewkesbury), I think I know where the cafe was, but a "site-inspection" is required to confim (maybe in the summer). There was even one location-hunter on IMDB from the USA who was proposing to come over with his motorbike (appropriately enough!) in search of the site. And I thought I was obsessive!

As ever with location-finding, local knowledge is often the best guide (it certainly worked for me with "Psychomania"), so I wrote to the editor of the local paper, asking if any of his readers remembered the filming. Unfortunately, I didn't receive a reply: he probably thought I was a crank!

luke1081 · 24-04-2008, 05:56 AM

Hi there, Im a Cheltenham resident born and bred; and very interested in local areas that have been used in filming. If anyone would like, if you were able to get a screengrab of the Packhorse Cafe (evidently not there anymore though any distiguishing landmarks may feature in the grab), I would happily have a look along Tewskesbury Road for it (I live pretty much on it!).

luke1081 · 24-04-2008, 07:16 AM

Another thing....not sure how accurate it is but Wikipedia suggests: "The J&H Packhorse Cafe...was originally on the A5 just south of Dunstable in Bedfordshire (near the village of Markyate) and not in the Cheltenham area as originally thought."

tellingbone · 30-04-2008, 12:18 AM

I was told that same story several years ago.

01-03-2008, 06:58 PM	#5
Michael L Rick has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ealing, London Posts: 7 Country: iTrader: (0)	The "Packhorse Cafe" in "If...." (1968) Despite much "correspondence", with a variety of correspondents (all with their own ideas) on IMDB, I have been unable to locate the above transport cafe (where Malcolm McDowell and Christine Noonan have their naked "wrestling match"). Can anyone assist? Maybe you were one of those truck-drivers that watched the "closed set" through the windows of the cafe??

01-03-2008, 09:17 PM	#7
Michael L Rick has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ealing, London Posts: 7 Country: iTrader: (0)	Screen Grabs I have tried ("Avengerland" made the same suggestion), but my "Dell" refuses to co-operate!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

19-04-2006, 10:04 AM	#1
Alan Looyd has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2 iTrader: (0)	Can anybody out there help me with finding the location of the infamous bike ride from the wonderful If... ? I know the majority was shot around Cheltenham, but where was that Cafe ?? The actor David Wood reckoned it may have been somewhere on the A1 !, yet the bike ride does definately take in some roads around Tewksbury. Can anyone shed a little more light on this Many thanks

25-04-2006, 06:37 PM	#3
Alan Looyd has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2 iTrader: (0)	Steve Many thanks for that info......my quest is over ! But what about any location details for O lucky man ???? Anything ? regards] Alan

01-03-2008, 08:43 PM	#6
mariocki is discredited Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Herts Posts: 336 Country: iTrader: (0)	Able to post some screen grabs Michael?

02-03-2008, 11:08 AM	#9
Michael L Rick has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ealing, London Posts: 7 Country: iTrader: (0)	Steve, Thanks. I should have been more precise and said the location "site". Despite the "Tewkesbury Road" being somewhat ambiguous (it's probably the road "to" Tewkesbury), I think I know where the cafe was, but a "site-inspection" is required to confim (maybe in the summer). There was even one location-hunter on IMDB from the USA who was proposing to come over with his motorbike (appropriately enough!) in search of the site. And I thought I was obsessive! As ever with location-finding, local knowledge is often the best guide (it certainly worked for me with "Psychomania"), so I wrote to the editor of the local paper, asking if any of his readers remembered the filming. Unfortunately, I didn't receive a reply: he probably thought I was a crank!

24-04-2008, 05:56 AM	#10
luke1081 has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 2 Country: iTrader: (0)	Hi there, Im a Cheltenham resident born and bred; and very interested in local areas that have been used in filming. If anyone would like, if you were able to get a screengrab of the Packhorse Cafe (evidently not there anymore though any distiguishing landmarks may feature in the grab), I would happily have a look along Tewskesbury Road for it (I live pretty much on it!).

24-04-2008, 07:16 AM	#11
luke1081 has no status. Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 2 Country: iTrader: (0)	Another thing....not sure how accurate it is but Wikipedia suggests: "The J&H Packhorse Cafe...was originally on the A5 just south of Dunstable in Bedfordshire (near the village of Markyate) and not in the Cheltenham area as originally thought."

30-04-2008, 12:18 AM	#12
tellingbone has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Welwyn Garden City Posts: 143 Country: iTrader: (2)	I was told that same story several years ago.