How Netflix transformed the Northern Quarter into New York for hit series House of Guinness

House of Guinness, the hotly-anticipated new drama from the creators of Peaky Blinders, has finally hit Netflix – and Manchester has a starring role once again.

Our city is no stranger to doubling up as New York City – it’s done it for Captain America, The Crown, and more recently the Batman spin-off Clayface.

And Netflix came back again last year with film crews transforming the Northern Quarter back into New York.

House of Guinness has whisked audiences back to the 1860s, where the titular Guinness family are ‘on the precipice of greatness’.

For this series – which is sitting at the top of the charts on Netflix this week – Steven Knight has traded in the foggy streets of a Peaky Blinders Birmingham for the back alleys and stately mansions of Dublin, although filming locations are scattered right across the UK.

The eight-part series is set across Dublin and New York, but eagle-eyed viewers will have noticed that it’s our very own cobbles that were used to shoot the scenes in the States.

One particular scene sees a wild-eyed and naive Jack Gleeson (who played Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones) arriving into Bowery in New York City, before being chased through the streets.

The scene opens with him on the corner of Dale Street and Paton Street, with the former turned into a bustling market street complete with colourful awnings and horse and carts.

The buildings in the Northern Quarter were barely changed for House of Guinness – it’s very clearly recognisable as our very own city.

You can even see the gold sign of Eleska House at 58 Dale Street left in shot.

Netflix then used China Lane as a more grubby back street, the beautiful distinctive arched windows of Langley House visible in the background.

The scene wraps up with a dramatic chase down Dale Street (which, weirdly, is exactly what Captain America used it for).

It was a fairly open set when filming of House of Guinness took place in Manchester last year, with Mancs able to see the old market stalls and shop signs used to transport the area back through the centuries, as well as the dirt and cobbles that were used in abundance to cover the modern road markings.

And that’s not all – filming also took place in parts of Stockport, and Tatton Park leant its library in the Mansion and conservatory in the Gardens as filming locations too.

House of Guinness is streaming now on Netflix.

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Featured image: The Manc Group