Mill Carpets supply red carpet for Hollywood blockbuster – The Kings Speech

Carpets fit for kings supplied by a Bradford flooring firm can now be seen on the big screen in a blockbuster film nominated for 12 Oscars.

Producers searching for props to use in The King’s Speech approached the owners of family-run Mill Carpets and asked them to supply the red wool carpet for the film’s coronation scenes.

Cousins Andy Jennings and Adrian Benson, who own the company’s shops in Black Dyke Mills, Queensbury sent a fitting team to transform Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire for scenes used to show the interior of Westminster Abbey, using 600 metres of carpet.

Mr Benson said: “We’ve fitted for the catering industry, for schools and hundreds of homes, but we’ve never fitted carpet for Hollywood royalty before.”

“Everyone on the production team was really professional. There were strict deadlines to meet and we worked with them to turn things around quickly. It meant working in Ely Cathedral throughout the night and we heard a few funny noises, things going bump in the night.”

“Overall we had a ball with the production team, who were great fun to work with. It’s been fantastic seeing our carpet up on the big screen with stars like Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush walking across it. It’s also great to get a mention in the credits at the end.”

The film tells the story of King George VI and how he overcame his difficulty with public speaking with the help of a speech therapist.

It was this week nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Film and Best Actor for its star Colin Firth.