Filming for 'The Salt Path' starring Gillan Anderson and Jason Issacs is set to come to Minehead.
The upcoming movie is based on author Raynor Winn's book of the same name, which tells the true story of her husband's diagnosis with a terminal illness.
Following the diagnosis the couple were made homeless by a business deal gone wrong, and went from living in a farmhouse to claiming £48 a week in tax credits.
Raynor and her husband then set off the walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path, armed only with a tent, sleeping bags and £115 in cash. She told reporters they embarked on the walk out of a sense of purposelessness, saying: "We really didn’t have anything better to do.”
![The film is also set to feature Hollywood star Jason Issacs](https://www.wsfp.co.uk/tindle-static/image/2023/06/28/14/Jason_Isaacs_%285976216289%29.jpg?width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
Raynor penned the story of the journey for a Big Issue article, before turning it into an entire book. That book would later be published by Penguin, and go on to become a Sunday Times bestseller in 2018.
The Salt Path was also nominated for the Wainwright prize and the Costa Book Awards, and went on to win the inaugural RSL Christopher Bland Prize. By 2019 it was the top selling book across Britain's independent book shops.
Now the tale is being adapted into a film, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, with film crews set to descend upon Minehead this weekend.
On Wednesday, Somerset Council signs were seen along Quay Street announcing that parking would be prohibited from house number 13 through to 19 on both sides of the roads all day on Saturday.
Residents soon learned that the filming would be for The Salt Path, and took to social media to spread the news. Self described film buff Stephen King shared the revelation in a Facebook group for Minehead residents, prompting dozens of comments from locals.
Jenifer Crawley commented: "This is an amazing book. Always thought it would make a great film. It is an amazing survival story of determination and survival against the odds."
Annette Berry said: "Absolutely fantastic book."
They have also reportedly been seen filming in Porlock Weir and on Minehead's North Hill.
According to the Internet Movie Database The Salt Path remains in pre-production, with no release date yet set. It is being directed Marianne Elliot who is a veteran theatre director and previously worked on the popular 2011 film, War Horse.