It was on 1 February 2007 the first episode of Benidorm, that the TV show aired; running for ten series with the final episode airing on 2 May 2018. I don’t know about you, but we really enjoyed it. Yes, it was cheesy and cringy, but it was very funny and sometimes sad. The witty writing of series creator and writer Derren Litten, and the fabulous cast brought to life a rather vibrant side of Benidorm we ourselves rarely see when we visit.
We’ve stumbled upon a few of the filming locations in the past, but this year we have taken it to a whole other level! And one afternoon Jamie and Justin were dragged along with us to the slightly jaw dropping (for all the wrong reasons!) Mateo’s bar. If you have lasted this far, you will know Mateo, played by Jake Canuso, is the barman at the Solana and is the only cast member to have appeared in every episode.
This is Mateo's bar. A tiny dark and somewhat dingy bar, tucked away in a side street a little way off the strip which is owned by Derren Litten. As you arrive you find yourself in a plastic covered ‘green’ space with a few very uncomfortable looking cheap plastic chairs. Heading inside things do not improve, and the entire place has a definite odour of tackiness about it. Here are served beers, soft drinks and strange luminous liquids masquerading as overpriced cocktails (no photo - they looked toxic!). Various scenes from the show are playing on several large screens, and among the deafening roar from the speakers people stare open mouthed and transfixed. It is worrying how easily Derren has managed to replicate the Solana in current day Benidorm, including the clientele. It is inspired in its own ‘special’ way!
Momentarily we also found ourselves slightly mesmerised as I tried to quickly snap some photos and take in the sheer awfulness of it all. Ian and Justin couldn’t quite believe where I had taken us. And Jamie; well she just went along with her mad friend, effortlessly supporting my desire to capture as much as I could without upsetting the punters.
Derren has gathered together props and memorabilia for the sets to deck out his bar and it is a sight to behold. I felt anxious as I headed to the Manageress's office, but no need to worry, behind her office door you find the loos, with genders tastefully indicated by photos of Les/Leslie (Tim Healy).
Here, you will also find the fabulous Mr Woo from the Chinese buffet sharing one of his catchphrases, and a few scripts. A trip to the loo has never been so entertaining! I may have taken slightly longer than I should; as I started reading and got carried away.
Exiting the loo you can’t help but check out Madge’s scooter - yes! It’s the genuine item; and I can tell you, it looks well used!
You may well remember a few of these props, but I’m fairly sure the leopard print budgie smugglers wouldn't be out of place here around a pool today. Please excuse the dodgy angle! They were high up on the wall - possibly they were too attractive to potential fans to leave at an accessible height.
As you can imagine, no trip to the Solana would be complete without a visit to Blow and Go.
The good news is, if you need to call home, you can do so on the Solana phone, and if you are a ultra dedicated fan, purchase a few tasteful (?) souvenirs - we did not, but we did see a purchase taking place.
Our short, alcohol free visit was more than enough for us, but as you can see, poor Justin and Ian looked totally bemused, confused by the whole tacky but fabulous experience. If you come to Benidorm and enjoyed watching the programme, you absolutely should visit (perhaps not for very long though!).
It’s certainly a unique experience!
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