London locations
Permits, light and what to expect on the day.
Georgian facades, black doors, brass, tailoring and jewellery. That is what brings people to Mayfair with a camera.
| Mayfair | |
|---|---|
| Who controls it | Westminster City Council runs its own film and photography service. |
| Good for | Georgian facades, black doors, brass, tailoring and jewellery. |
| Light | Morning light runs down the long streets before the traffic builds. |
| Busiest | Mount Street and the streets around Berkeley Square are the recognisable ones. |
Westminster City Council runs its own film and photography service. Fees cover the application, the administration and any consultation before it. The film office answers on eventsandfilming@westminster.gov.uk and 020 7641 2390.
Checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the authority before the shoot.
Morning light runs down the long streets before the traffic builds. After midday the tall terraces put the pavement into shade, which is flattering and consistent.
Mount Street and the streets around Berkeley Square are the recognisable ones. Keep the crew small: these are residential streets and the doormen notice a lighting stand.
Bond Street, Green Park and Oxford Circus are all within a short walk.
A single reflector is enough. Anything on a stand reads as a production on a residential street.
People shoot the shop fronts and miss the doors. The black doors and brass numbers are the frame.
| Who controls it | Westminster City Council film service |
| Permit needed | Yes |
| Notice to allow | Several days |
| Insurance | Ask the film office |
| Worth knowing | Application, administration and consultation fees |
| Nearest stations | Bond Street, Green Park and Oxford Circus are all within a short walk. |
| What to carry | A single reflector is enough. Anything on a stand reads as a production on a residential street. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm with the authority named above before the shoot, and treat this table as a starting point rather than a permission.
| Where | What it gives you | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Street | Red brick, awnings, jewellers' windows | Morning, before deliveries |
| Berkeley Square | Plane trees and railings | Afternoon shade under the canopy |
| Shepherd Market | Narrow lanes and pub frontage | Late afternoon, low sun down the lane |
A location is a corner at an hour, not a postcode. Pick one of these and build the session around it.
An hour in Mayfair is three stops, not one.
We start at Mount Street, because it is the frame most people came for and it is quietest first.
Then Berkeley Square, which changes the background without changing the light.
We finish at Shepherd Market, which gives a different scale and a different mood.
Mayfair works all year because the light comes off pale stone rather than through leaves.
Winter afternoons are short and very good, because the sun never climbs high.
August is quietest, since much of the area empties.
Tailoring reads correctly here and casual sportswear fights the background.
Dark colours sit well against the pale terraces.
Heels are fine: the pavements are flat and the distances are short.
If it rains, the arcades between Piccadilly and Bond Street give covered frames with good light.
Brown Hart Gardens gives a raised terrace out of the traffic.
Westminster City Council runs its own filming and photography service.
Fees cover the application itself, the administration of it, and any consultation before you apply.
The film office answers on eventsandfilming@westminster.gov.uk and 020 7641 2390, Monday to Friday.
Westminster publishes the streets it covers, which is worth checking, because a few metres can move you into another authority.
Nearby, with different rules and a different look: Notting Hill, Kensington Gardens and Chelsea.
The full list of occasions is on event photography in London.
Next step
Send the date and intended use; the current permission route can then be checked before the location is promised.
For tailoring or a fashion brief, compare the fashion service with the fashion portfolio. For photographs of a business or its products, start with brand work.
The cost calculator separates photography, wardrobe, studio and travel. There is no location charge from Mariya for the street itself. Send the preferred date, intended use and reference photographs through the enquiry form or WhatsApp Mariya.
Send the date, location and what you need photographed.