On 10th January 1978, an episode of “Wish you were here?” broadcast to the nation, with presenter Chris Kelly promoting the town’s many attractions.
Of course, what the problem also did without meaning to, was create a detailed visual record of the people, places and businesses of the time.
The television programme Wish You Were Here…? holds a significant place in the history of British broadcasting as the first truly populist travel show. Launched by Thames Television for the ITV network in 1974, it departed from the more academic or documentary-style travelogues of the era by focusing on the consumer experience. The show provided viewers with practical advice on costs, accommodation, and activities, presented through a relatable and authoritative lens. While the programme became synonymous with the rise of the Mediterranean package holiday, it also maintained a strong focus on British domestic tourism. In 1978, the production team visited Great Malvern, Worcestershire, to showcase the town as a premium destination for "staycations" and short breaks.
The Presenter: Chris Kelly
The 1978 segment on Malvern was presented by Chris Kelly. In the late 1970s, Kelly was one of the two primary faces of the programme, sharing hosting duties with Judith Chalmers. While Chalmers was often associated with international jet-setting, Kelly frequently handled the domestic segments and specialized reports. His broadcasting style was characterized by a straightforward, articulate, and professional delivery. He possessed the ability to critique a destination with a level of detachment that viewers trusted, avoiding the hyperbolic marketing language common in travel brochures.
Kelly’s role in the Malvern segment was to act as an informed visitor. He navigated the town’s Victorian heritage and natural landscapes, evaluating whether Malvern still offered value to the modern traveler of the late 1970s. His presence brought a sense of national prestige to the town, as an endorsement from Wish You Were Here…? was a major factor in domestic tourism trends at the time.
The Filming Locations and Route
The 1978 filming schedule was designed to capture the essence of Malvern as both a spa town and a center for cultural excellence. The production team utilized several key locations to tell the story of the town.
The Malvern Hills and the Beacon
The hills were the primary visual draw for the segment. Filming took place at several vantage points, including the Worcestershire Beacon and the Wyche Cutting. Kelly was filmed walking on the well-maintained paths, highlighting the accessibility of the hills for walkers of varying abilities. The footage emphasized the "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" status, showcasing the expansive views over the Severn Valley to the east and the Welsh mountains to the west.
The Malvern Theatres and Priory Park
Given the town’s cultural significance, the Malvern Festival Theatre (now Malvern Theatres) was a focal point of the report. Kelly discussed the town's historic connection to George Bernard Shaw and Sir Edward Elgar. The segment featured the theatre’s exterior and the surrounding Priory Park, presenting Malvern as a sophisticated destination for those seeking an intellectual or artistic holiday. The 1978 footage captured the venue just as it was becoming a year-round theater after decades of being primarily a seasonal festival site.
The Victorian Spa Heritage and Holy Well
A central theme of the visit was Malvern’s history as a 19th-century water-cure resort. Kelly visited the Holy Well and several of the town’s distinctive public water spouts. The segment explained the "Malvern Water" phenomenon, which was still a major commercial enterprise at the time through the Schweppes bottling plant in Colwall. By visiting these sites, the programme linked the town’s Victorian past with the 1970s interest in health and outdoor pursuits.
Great Malvern Priory
The architecture of Great Malvern Priory provided the segment with a sense of historical depth. The filming showcased the 15th-century stained glass and the medieval tiles, positioning the town as a place of architectural importance. Kelly’s commentary noted how the town center had grown around the Priory, creating a compact and aesthetically pleasing urban core that was easy for tourists to navigate on foot.
Tourism Infrastructure in 1978
In 1978, Chris Kelly’s report focused heavily on the practicalities of a Malvern holiday. He evaluated the town’s hospitality sector, which at the time was dominated by grand Victorian hotels like the Foley Arms and the Mount Pleasant. The segment discussed the price of a typical "dinner, bed, and breakfast" package, a staple of the 1970s holiday market.
The programme also highlighted the town's retail offering, showing the independent shops along Belle Vue Terrace and Church Street. In 1978, Malvern still retained a high number of specialized retailers and bookshops, which Kelly presented as a pleasant alternative to the standardized high streets of larger cities. The evaluation was positive, suggesting that Malvern offered a high standard of service and a "quiet elegance" that appealed to a well-educated, middle-market demographic.
Technical Aspects of the 1978 Production
The segment was filmed on 16mm color film, which was the standard for high-quality location work before the widespread adoption of professional electronic news gathering (ENG) video. This gave the 1978 Malvern footage a characteristic richness and "warmth" in its color palette, particularly effective when capturing the green slopes of the hills and the red-brick Victorian architecture.
Sound recording was also a critical component. Kelly’s narration was often recorded "in the field" to capture the ambient sounds of the town—the wind on the hills, the water at the spouts, and the quiet atmosphere of the Priory Park. These auditory cues were essential for creating the immersive "wish you were here" feeling that the show’s title promised.
The Social Context of 1978
To understand why the show visited Malvern in 1978, it is important to look at the wider social context. The late 1970s were a time of economic fluctuation in the UK, including high inflation and industrial unrest. In this environment, the "short break" or "second holiday" in England became increasingly popular as an affordable alternative to multiple trips abroad.
Malvern, with its rail links to London Paddington and Birmingham New Street, was ideally placed to benefit from this trend. The Wish You Were Here…? segment highlighted this accessibility, showing the historic Great Malvern railway station with its ornate ironwork. The programme successfully framed Malvern as a destination that was "away from it all" yet easily reachable, a key selling point for the 1978 audience.
The Broadcast’s Impact on the Town
When the segment aired nationally, it provided Malvern with an invaluable marketing boost. The show had a massive weekly reach, and its recommendation carried significant weight.
The programme’s straightforward evaluation of the town’s assets confirmed Malvern’s place on the modern British tourism map.
The 1978 segment remains a significant historical document. It provides a visual record of the town’s buildings, streets, and social atmosphere during a pivotal year in the 20th century. For historians of television and travel, the Malvern visit is a prime example of how Wish You Were Here…? helped to shape the holiday habits of the British public by making regional heritage and natural beauty accessible and inviting through the medium of the television screen.
Helpful Links
BFI Screenonline: Wish You Were Here...? Malvern Theatres History Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service Malvern Hills Trust The Museum of Malvern Life
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