I was thinking about writing a book set in Sunderland - where I live - this will just be the location and not really play a role in the story, although saying that it would play a role in the way characters speak. Anyway my question is - can the location of a story be a hinderence? For example in my local book shops they try to push books set in the local area. but will people outside the area be turned off by a location?
Ah divent nah wat ya tarkin aboot, hinny...
lol 
I think if you don't give it a setting it will be bland. Actually I find it hard to imagine how you could write a book without pinning it down to a location. If it's well written, it will be read. And maybe you'll hit gold - I don't remember ever reading anything set in that area.
P.S. And I totally understood what Redzed wrote.
I can't recall any film with a local film setting but I did read somewhere a Sunderland film company is currently shooting a film in Hetton le Hole starring Angus MacFayden...