The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: CSR, Film, and Tourism. Two Cases of Filming in a Small Community

Abstract

This article reports on an element of an ongoing research project undertaken since 1999 in relation to the effects of film-induced tourism on a small community based in North Yorkshire, England, namely Goathland. Goathland is better known to TV audiences around the world as the village of Aidensfield in the long-running series, Heartbeat. Its railway station and heritage train was also used as Hogwarts Station in the Harry Potter movies. Both the TV series and the movie have been extremely popular and increased the number as well as altered the "type" of tourist visiting Goathland, which is set in a national park with a resident population of 300. However, the extent of responsibility taken by the respective film companies in terms of the related tourism to the village is significantly different, particularly in relation to community engagement and opportunities for that community to commercialize its exposure as a film site to visitors. This article considers these differences in terms of each organization's demonstrated corporate social responsibility (CSR) to Goathland.