Where is the blue door in notting hill

Notting Hill attracts thousands of visitors each year; it is home to Portobello Market, one of the most renowned markets in the world. Famous for appearing in films such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Paddington Bear and most famously, Hugh Grant’s Notting Hill featuring Julia Roberts. Visitors come to Portobello Road to see this colourful market as well as explore the streets in search of the famous blue door. 

The world famous Notting Hill blue door is the second door on Westbourne Park Road, number 280. As you stroll through Portobello Road, you will reach what is now a Starbucks on the corner of Westbourne park road and Portobello Road. The second door, a large blue door with tall white columns on each side is the famous door from the film. You will surely find other visitors congregating on the corner, map in hand, looking for it so that they can snap that signature shot standing in front of the door. Once you have seen it and recalled that scene from the film, you can head around the corner to find the film’s other popular landmarks.

Well, the bookshop is another matter. Many people take photos outside the blue travel bookshop on Blenheim Crescent. However, this is not the book shop from the film. It’s an easy mistake to make as it fits the description and is a very pretty little bookshop which has a traditional and quaint feel. The book shop from the film no longer exists, if ever it was a bookshop, this is why so many people pass it by. The location of the shop featured in the film is number 142 Portobello Road. It has a sign above the name of the shop, and one on the side wall with the title: ‘The Travel Bookshop.’ From the front, it is now a souvenir shop and resembles little from the décor in the actual film. It’s just a nice little fact to know, so grab a photo with the sign and head down the road to the Notting Hill bookshop for a real book shop selfie. And if in doubt, ask a local, a market trader or a Notting Hill estate agent to point you in the right direction!

As I stand on Portobello road, waiting for my 2.30 appointment to arrive, I observe the steady flow of excited faces as they finally find the right door. As local estate agents, we spend a fair amount of time walking to and from properties, and it seems to be a frequent question asked in many different accents:

“Where is the blue door from the film Notting Hill?”

“Do you know where to find the book shop from the film Notting Hill? “

Pointing them in the right direction, they hurry excitedly in the direction of the Notting Hill Film landmarks. Thoughts trail off to city breaks where that has been me, running eagerly towards a sight of my interests. I smile as I fumble around in my bag for the keys to the next property, a smart two-bedroom flat for rent, in a prime Notting Hill location.

Once you have had your photo fill, Portobello has a wide range of foods, depending on the day you choose to visit, Friday and Saturday markets offer a colourful choice of street foods. Portobello caters to all tastes, from Italian to Caribbean, and Spanish tapas. If you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy a gorgeous cupcake from Hummingbird, famous for its amazing red velvet cupcake. Notting Hill has a vast range of cafes to choose from, where you can watch the world go by and soak up some the atmosphere that is portrayed in so many movies. You can find a selection of great places to eat in Notting Hill here

Almost 20 years after the British rom-com was released, fans still flock to that famous door and lively Portobello Road.

It’s the kind of door you’d ordinarily walk past without a second glance: dark blue, flanked by double columns with peeling white paint, next to a nail salon. But 280 Westbourne Park Road may be the most photographed portal in West London. In Notting Hill, it was the door to the home of Hugh Grant’s character, bumbling bookseller William Thacker. And it became a paparazzi magnet thanks to William’s unlikely romance with Hollywood star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts). The unassuming-looking address, formerly owned by the flick’s screenwriter, Richard Curtis, still attracts crowds with cameras.

On this crisp winter morning, I’m rubbing shoulders with selfie-takers from China, Canada and Germany. Everyone seems pretty excited, though thankfully no-one is doing a Spike (William’s flatmate, played by Rhys Ifans, entertained the paparazzi by posing here in his underpants).

This isn’t the original door, however. That was auctioned by Christie’s soon after Notting Hill’s release and replaced by a black one that was eventually repainted blue. 

In the heart of the boho-chic Notting Hill district, the house is on the corner of Portobello Road, one of London’s most rewarding streets for ambling, browsing and shopping at quirky boutiques, antiques galleries and eclectic markets set up beneath pastel-coloured Victorian terrace houses.

At 142 Portobello Road, you’ll find the setting of William’s travel bookstore (then an antiques arcade remodelled for filming, it’s now a gift store selling cheap souvenirs). The Travel Bookshop – the real-life inspiration for William’s business – used to be around the corner at 13-15 Blenheim Crescent but it ceased trading in 2011. In its place is The Notting Hill Bookshop, which has a cosy vibe and a fine choice of books, as well as Notting Hill-themed paraphernalia, including cut-out paper masks of Grant and Roberts.

Another local haunt that’s had a makeover is The Coronet Cinema, where a besotted William watched Anna on screen. Now the Print Room, it’s a theatre once again – like it was when it first opened in 1898 – a stone’s throw from Notting Hill Gate tube station. 

SEE ALSO: You Can Visit Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing

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