A new season of Midsomer guided walking tours of Thame has just got underway, following a second highly successful season last year. Inspired by the popular ITV series Midsomer Murders, the walking tours are held every Wednesday morning from May to October and take in the 22 Midsomer filming locations that can be found in Thame town centre.
Since the tours began in 2017 they’ve attracted 600 participants, not just from the UK, but from countries as far apart as Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands. Tony Long, tours coordinator, says, ‘We’re hoping that over 500 people will do the tour this year, which would mean that over 1000 people will have enjoyed our tours by the end of this season. We feel this is quite remarkable and indicates how popular Midsomer Murders is around the world’.
Midsomer Murders is still going strong and currently in its 22nd year. Thame is one of the most frequently used filming locations and has featured in the first episode of the new series (series 20, The Ghost of Causton Abbey) which began airing this year. Thame Town Hall has been portrayed both as Causton Town Hall and Causton Arts Centre, and other Thame landmarks featured include Thame Museum, Market House, Rumsey’s Chocolaterie, the Spread Eagle and Swan Hotels, the Coffee House, and the Black Horse brasserie.
Becky Reid, market town coordinator at Thame Town Council, commented, ‘These tours are certainly adding a new dimension to tourism in the town, attracting visitors from the UK and overseas to the historic town of Thame. Midsomer Murders is one of our biggest TV exports. When people see it on TV, they want to come and visit the beautiful towns and villages of Midsomer, such as Thame. While here, they spend money in our restaurants, pubs, hotels, and shops – which is good for the town and its economy’.
Tony Long added, ‘The more people we have coming on the tours, the more funds we can donate to worthy causes at the end of the season. Since the tours began, we have been able to donate nearly £2,500 to the Mayor’s Charities and Thame Museum. The guides themselves don’t take any income from the tours’.
The tours take place every Wednesday at 11.00 am until 30th October. They start from inside Thame Museum (79 High Street, Thame, OX9 3AE), one of the filming locations. Tickets cost £7.50 each and may be purchased online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/thamemidsomer. Alternatively, simply turn up on the day and pay at the Museum.
If the advertised tour times don’t fit in with your itinerary, tours can be arranged for groups of 4 or more people on other days. For more information, contact Tony Long at thamemidsomertours@gmail.com.
