Is Slough House from ‘Slow TV+’ a Real Building?

The acclaimed Apple TV+ series “Slow Horses” has captivated audiences with its portrayal of disgraced MI5 agents relegated to a shabby office called Slough House. While the dumping ground for spies is a fictional creation, the show’s production meticulously blends real-world London locations with studio-built interiors to bring Slough House to life.

The Fiction and Reality of Slough House

Based on Mick Herron’s novels, “Slow Horses” follows MI5 operatives banished to Slough House after career-ending mistakes. This specific location, a dilapidated building above an Italian restaurant, does not exist as a real MI5 facility. However, the production team uses a real row of shops and flats at 129 Aldersgate Street in the Barbican area for all exterior shots of the building’s facade.

Filming Locations in London

Supervising location manager Ian Pollington confirmed the show shoots on-location in London to maintain authenticity. The recognizable, dingy fire escape that Jackson Lamb and his team climb is a separate real location on St. John’s Street, part of a service yard for nearby buildings. Pollington noted the team has been fortunate that the area’s distinctive, independent shop character has remained largely unchanged.

The interior of Slough House, which perfectly captures a 1960s brutalist aesthetic, is constructed on sound stages. These sets are then seamlessly combined with the exterior footage to create the illusion of a single, cohesive location in the heart of London.

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