The film crews that transported Glasgow back in time for the filming of 70s IRA thriller Borderland may have packed up and gone but it seems there’s still a little bit of movie magic to be found in the city centre.
In fact, thanks to a charitable donation of props and set pieces, film fans can pick up their own part of the retro action to take home by visiting Shelter Scotland on Stockwell Street.
Assistant Manager Robert Sutherland explained: “On one of my days off, I got the call from our area manager saying that there were bits from the film set that the crew wanted to donate to us so that we could resell it.
“It sounded great, so I took the van and tried to find the address for a warehouse in Possil.
“It almost looked like a rubbish tip because there was so much furniture stacked up outside but it turns out that was part of the set, made to look like the London bin strikes in the 70s."
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Told to cherry-pick whichever pieces he thought would do well in the shop, Robert set to work sifting through the vintage London street signs and barbed wire sets that gave a glimpse into what to expect from the Sky production starring Felicity Jones and Mark Strong.
He said: “Inside the warehouse was like a massive jumble sale.
“Naturally I gravitated towards brand new glassware that had been bought in bulk for the crew because I know that would sell in the shop.
“But, I did start to get into it. There was some really lovely crystal and loads of vinyls.”
With the help of Volunteers Allan and Sean, the goods were packed and safely transported back to the city centre.
The carefully curated selection of items is now all available to buy with all proceeds going towards Shelter Scotland’s mission to end homelessness.
It’s a hugely exciting opportunity for any avid film buff, but as it turns out, all part of the job for the hard-working staff at the shop.
READ MORE: Filming in Glasgow: Gunman scene filmed for Borderland movie
Robert said: “There was an Irvine Welsh production last year that came to us to buy some wall units.
“We also had a Netflix production that’s filming in Bathgate come in to pick up a sofa recently.
Amal El-Atrash, shop manager, added: “Quite often what they do is buy something and donate it back.
“Sometimes only they only take things for a few hours.
“I remember once we had a piece that we were struggling to sell because it was so bulky,
“We were so excited that a film crew was coming to pick it up with their own van, only for them to call us back the next day and say we could have it back.”
Many of the items from the sale have already been snatched up meaning that you’ll have to be quick if you fancy taking home your own memento from the Borderland set.
But, if you don’t quite make it in time, there’s no need to fret as Amal and Robert seem sure that this won’t be the last time they’ll see some blockbuster bargains in-store.
Amal said: “I think we probably have people looking for film props in more than we know.
“Batgirl just finished filming around the corner from us so it’s quite likely they would have been searching in the area.
“Glasgow is such a great city for charity shopping and I think the film industry will really start to tap into that.”
For more information on Shelter Scotland, Stockwell Street click here.
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