First-of-its-kind TV advert filmed in Bristol's steepest residential street

Vale Street in Bristol, widely regarded as the steepest street in England, has been used as the prime location to film what is believed to be the first advert about mobility scooter insurance to air on UK television.

Specialist insurance intermediary Surewise used the hill as the setting for the advert, which follows Annie, a mobility scooter user in her 60s, as she tackles an unusually steep climb to meet a friend at the top.

Created with Bristol-based TV and video advertising agency Happy Hour Productions, the advert was designed to challenge outdated perceptions of mobility scooter users and present mobility scooters as symbols of freedom, confidence and independence.

Richard Hannan, director of Surewise, said: “We wanted to create an advert that people would genuinely enjoy watching, while also challenging some of the assumptions that still exist around mobility scooter use.

"Vale Street in Bristol was the perfect place to film, as the hill became a powerful visual metaphor – something that might seem like a small obstacle to most people can represent a much bigger challenge when you rely on a scooter every day.”

Surewise commissioned the campaign after identifying a significant lack of awareness around mobility scooter insurance and a broader opportunity to engage an audience that is rarely represented in mainstream advertising – despite an ageing population and growing mobility scooter usage.

The production team carried out three separate location recces before selecting Vale Street, as many hills appeared less dramatic on camera than in reality, leading the team to seek out an exceptionally steep location to achieve the desired visual effect.

Zoe Bulbeck, creative at Happy Hour, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work on this advert in our home city.

“Said to be the steepest residential street in England, Vale Street helped give us the perspective we couldn’t find anywhere else.

“However, that same gradient made it the hardest place to work for the cast and crew. We had to take careful safety precautions, so what looks effortless on screen was very controlled behind the scenes.”

Surewise now joins the likes of Cadbury in filming a TV advert in Vale Street, with the chocolate makers taking over the street earlier this year.

Research by the insurer found awareness about mobility scooter cover remains low, despite the risks: common claims include accidental damage resulting from minor collisions, potholes and kerb drops, as well as punctures and theft, with a typical mid-range scooter costing about £1,500 to replace.

Surewise offers mobility insurance from £3.80 a month and aims to raise awareness that affordable cover is available through the new advert.

The insurer also runs an annual Safer Mobility Campaign, which raises awareness about the number of mobility scooter users either killed or injured on roads in the UK.

For more information, please visit: https://www.surewise.com/

Ends

Editors notes

About Surewise

Surewise is a leading specialist insurance intermediary which offers a variety of insurance products, including mobility scooter, carers and storage insurance to customers across the UK.

Surewise provides insurance through a partnership with underwriters SAGIC, the Salvation Army General Insurance Corporation, whose profits support Salvation Army charities and give back to vulnerable members of society, including people experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, poverty and unemployment.

Based in Hadleigh in Essex, its growing team is united by a passion to build trust, care and fairness within the insurance sector.

As of 2026, Surewise has more than 14,300 reviews on Trustpilot, with an overall ‘Excellent’ rating of 4.8.

About Happy Hour

Happy Hour productions is a Bristol-based TV and video advertising agency for ambitious brands who don’t stand still.

It was ranked in the UK’s top 20 creative agencies (#19) and named number one outside London for two years running (2025 and 2026) in Campaign’s Top 100.

Happy Hour brings creative and production together under one roof to make work that cuts through and drives growth.

Founded in 2003, the agency creates TV, video, animation, audio and integrated campaigns from its in-houses studios and post-production facilities.