Passers-by believed a new restaurant had opened in the centre of Bridgend when a new façade was erected and work was seen taking place at 'Antonio's'. But it's not actually a new culinary hotspot for foodies to try and is in fact a film set with the BBC using it as a location for part of an episode of Casualty

There is currently restricted access at Dunraven Place, Bridgend, as the popular drama series has created a base which will be in place until Friday, April 12. There is a set in place in a former bistro, which producers have turned into a fake restaurant named Antonio's, with a Holby address visible on the right hand side of the sign.

It's created a buzz of excitement from a few people in the area on social media who were surprised to see the unusual addition to Bridgend's town centre. For the latest TV and showbiz news sign up to our newsletter.

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A spokesman for Bridgend council said: "BBC are filming a future episode of Casualty and have set up a fake shopfront in Bridgend town centre. The filming started on Monday and is due to finish on Thursday evening/Friday morning (between 7.30pm and 6.30am).

"It follows the likes of the 2018 Hugh Grant show A Very English Scandal, which saw parts of the town centre transformed into 1870s Dublin. Numerous council departments have been involved in organising the filming alongside the BBC including highways, regeneration, the town centre manager, parking, communications, corporate landlord, and the customer and community support unit (our CCTV team).

"Temporary stop-and-go traffic management has been used to accommodate the filming of ambulances arriving at the scene and the immediate pedestrian area around the fake shopfront was cordoned off to facilitate the production. Alternative access routes have been kept in place and local businesses have been kept fully informed/agreed to the filming, which has not affected their own trade."

Building in Dunraven Place, Bridgend where BBC's Casualty have used to film an episode of the hit drama series. Cones can be seen from the outside as people prepare it for filming.
This is what the building looked like as the BBC prepared it for filming
Building in Dunraven Place, Bridgend where BBC's Casualty have used to film an episode of the hit drama series with the finished fake sign reading from left to right; Italian ristorante, Antonio's, Dine in or delivery with a fake telephone number and address. The address says that the restaurant is located in Holby.
The finished set looked just like a real restaurant
White sheets covering part of the building in Dunraven Place, Bridgend where BBC's Casualty have used to film an episode of the hit drama series with the finished fake sign reading from left to right; Italian ristorante, Antonio's, Dine in or delivery with a fake telephone number and address. The address says that the restaurant is located in Holby.
At one point part of the restaurant was covered by white sheets and railings as the space was transformed into a set by the BBC

The arrangement appears to have confused some people including one man who posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that another restaurant had opened before correcting himself to explain that it was in fact a set created for filming Casualty in. He initially wrote: "Another new restaurant opening in Bridgend. Oddly, given the price on eating out these days, hospitality appears to be thriving."

He later added: "Confirmed with the security guard today. Not a real restaurant... a set for filming Casualty. You can see the Holby address if you zoom in. In Bridgend!"