Architecture and cinema have always gone hand in hand, with films propelling buildings and cities into the spotlight. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of what has become one of the quintessential British Christmas films: Love Actually. Released in the UK on 21 November 2003 and starring the glitterati of British acting from the early 2000s, this festive favourite has cemented London’s status as one of the best global cities to soak up the Christmas atmosphere. 

From the Georgian terraces of Downing Street and a mews in Notting Hill, to the supposedly ‘dodgy end’ of Wandsworth and glass dome of the former Whiteleys shopping centre, the filming locations have become as memorable as the plethora of turtleneck jumpers donned by the cast. 

To celebrate the enduring cultural impact of the film two decades on, this special Christmas edition looks at the residential prices of the places which provide the architectural backdrop to the movie’s pivotal moments. 

Since the film was released, the average house price in London has increased from £278,000 in August 2003 to £705,000 in August 2023, according to our Savills index based on Land Registry transactions. This indicates average house price growth of 154 per cent over the 20 year period, which translates to an average of 4.8 per cent growth each year.

On a more local level, prices are as diverse as the love stories which unfold throughout the film.

Keira Knightley is serenaded in the Grosvenor Chapel on South Audley Street in Mayfair as she walks down the aisle. The building’s simple classicism inspired the design of many churches in New England, giving it an aesthetic now strongly associated with the United States. Those wanting a short commute for their own wedding in the chapel will have to contend with average prices of £3.9 million in the year to August 2023 in the West End ward, with a price per square foot of £1,791.

In the vicinity of 10 Downing Street, where Prime Minister Hugh Grant shows off his best dance moves, average transaction values were slightly more affordable at £1.9 million and £1,401psf. The dark brick and symmetrical proportions of this townhouse are emblematic of the elegant Georgian era and are sure to make anyone ‘Jump’ for joy. 

For those wanting a convenient nearby bench on the South Bank for a father/son heart to heart like Liam Neeson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the Borough & Bankside and Waterloo and South Bank wards saw average transaction values of £866,000 in 2023, translating to £942psf.  

What was meant to be the ‘dodgy end’ of Wandsworth is in reality Poplar Road in the sought-after area of Herne Hill. This street showcases the typical Victorian terraces, constructed in the classic yellow London brick and with large bay windows, that were built to accommodate the growing number of workers in the capital during the industrial revolution. The Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction ward where it is located has seen average values in 2023 of £773,000, equating to £770psf. 

For those with marker pens, large pieces of cardboard, and a portable CD player at the ready to recreate THAT scene outside the pink house, they also needed around £1.5 million for the average property on St Luke’s Mews in Notting Hill over the last 20 years, equating to £1,653psf. From their humble origins as stables, coach houses, and lodgings for domestic servants, mews houses today are hidden gems in some of London’s most desirable locations.

Anyone not wanting to be reminded of Colin Firth’s heartbreak near the film’s beginning should avoid Blenheim Road in Turnham Green, where he discovers the affair. In 2023 the Chiswick Homefields and Southfield wards saw average transactions of just under £1.2 million or £880psf in the year to August. 

The film crescendos in the concert which was filmed at Elliot School in Putney, now known as Ark Putney Academy. Families looking to live in a catchment area with schools putting on nativities with suspiciously high production values will be pleased to hear the West Putney ward is one of the more affordable filming locations, with average values in the year to August 2023 of £844,000 and £720psf.

London is arguably the true star of Love Actually. While its property market has evolved significantly since 2003, what hasn’t changed is its enduring global appeal as a place to live and experience the magic of the countdown to Christmas.

Further information

Contact Toby Parsloe