High-street dreams in Shepton

The BBC opened a record shop in Shepton for the 1970s episode.

The market cross, Shepton Mallet’s most important landmark, is in poor repair. After it was shown dozens of times in the television series, townspeople launched an £89,000 campaign to save it.

Shepton Mallet’s town centre is starring as living history in a six-part series of Turn Back Time on BBC One.

Five shopkeeping families from various trades migrated to the Victorian era, complete with its costumes, goods and coins, not to mention townspeople in costume too.

Over subsequent episodes they move to Edwardian times, then the Great War, the Thirties, wartime rationing and so on — it’s an insight into how the British high street has changed over the past 140 years and how popular brands come and go.

“We really like Shepton Mallet as it’s got a beautiful little town centre,” the producer said. “Like many places all over the UK the town centre is suffering, so [we chose this town] mainly because of the look.”

Empty shops in the Market Place were dressed up in the style of the various periods, as bakers, butchers and dressmakers, during filming in the summer.

Programmes are aired on Tuesday evenings. Past episodes are available online on BBC iPlayer for a month after broadcast.