Albert Square

Albert Square is the fictional location of the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders". It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in the East End, and was given the name Albert Square after the real life history of Prince Albert and the then deprived East End. The public house, The Queen Victoria, was also given its name due to this. One of the key characteristics of the pub is the window twitching by any of the occupants throughout the years. They are often known to look out of the windows, giving a view of the whole Square. This is especially common in dramatic storylines.

Central to the Square are the gardens. The garden is home to Arthur Fowler's bench, which was placed there in memory of him. The bench is also known as the Bench of Tears, as it is often the place where characters will go and cry.

The square is the centre for all of the everyday drama in all of Walford's residents' lives, most of the characters on EastEnders live on the square. Although a major place on the show, there are other places which are used in the show, like the market.

Famous Deaths

In June 2001, 17-year-old Ashley Cotton was killed instantly when he crashed a stolen motorbike in the Square.New Year's Day has seen two deaths in the Square. In 1999, Tiffany Mitchell was knocked down and killed by Frank Butcher's car. In 2006, Dennis Rickman was stabbed to death by a mysterious hooded attacker (later revealed to be Danny Moon).

On Christmas Day 2006, Walford matriarch Pauline Fowler died in Albert Square, next to Arthur's bench, under the Christmas tree after suffering a fatal brain haemorrhage.

Albert Square within the EastEnders set

In reality, the exterior set for the fictional Albert Square is located in the permanent backlot of the BBC's Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire at coord|51|39|32|N|0|16|40|W|type:landmark_region:GB. The set is outdoors and open to the weather, and much of it consists of full-scale practical buildings and street furniture. As the show is filmed up to six weeks in advance, the trees need to have extra leaves stuck on them during the Spring to make them look like they would in Summer.

It is mooted that Albert Square, will transfer to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire where a new set will be built as the current set is looking rather shabby, with its flaws showing up on High-definition television broadcasts. [ [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3386610.ece Sets too shabby for latest TVs force EastEnders out of town - Times Online ] ]

ee also

* Walford
* List of buildings in EastEnders
* List of residences in EastEnders

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders BBC - "EastEnders"]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/places/ BBC map of Albert Square]
* [http://www.myhackney.co.uk/hackney/community-fassetsquare.htm Fassett Square] - "The original inspiration for "EastEnders".