Midsomer council row over plans to commemorate TV show as councillors say 'it is not a real place'

The town where Midsomer Murders is filmed has been embroiled in a council row over plans to commemorate the TV show as councillors say "it is not a real place."

Six red plaques were set to be displayed on listed buildings in the quaint Oxfordshire village which features as the fictional town of Causton in the ITV detective drama.

Oxfordshire's Thame Town Council were hopeful the plaques would help boost tourism by attracting more visitors to the buildings when tours were not in operation.

However South Oxfordshire District Council conservation officers lambasted the plans in a damning report.

It said: "Whilst the visitor may wish to 'Arrive in Midsomer', it is important to also recognise that Midsomer is not real.

"And that the market town of Thame is historically significant in its own right and not as the set of a television programme.

"A number of opportunities exist to highlight the use of various buildings in the filming of the series, but officers do not consider the application of a physical marker on buildings to be an appropriate way to do this."

The long-running ITV drama has seen hundreds of celebrities, including Oscar award-winning actress Olivia Colman, make cameos alongside detective chief inspector Tom Barnaby, played by John Nettles.

Despite South Oxfordshire District Council's objections Thame Town Council said the plaques would have "a positive impact on the vibrancy and vitality of the town."

Town clerk Graham Hunt said: "Because they are listed buildings, we need permission but unfortunately they are recommending that planning permission is refused.

"Our view is that while we respect the importance and the history of Thame and how it has got to its current status as a popular market town, we don't feel that we should allow the past to completely control the future.

The plans are set to be discussed at a meeting next week.