Code of Silence is a thrilling British crime drama from 2025 that caught viewers’ attention right away on ITVX. Alison Woods, played by Rose Ayling-Ellis, is a deaf police station canteen worker who becomes an unexpectedly important part of a high-stakes investigation.
The six-part thriller was created by Catherine Moulton. When the police find a group of criminals planning a big jewellery theft, Alison’s amazing lip-reading skills come in very handy. Alison faces danger, undercover missions, and difficult feelings while working with Detective Inspector James Marsh (Andrew Buchan) and Detective Sergeant Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie). This is especially true after she becomes close with young gang member Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore).
Directed by Diarmuid Goggins and produced by Mammoth Screen, the series became such a success that ITV renewed it for a second season in July 2025. While the story unfolds in Canterbury, Kent, the filming locations tell a slightly different story.
Where Was Code of Silence Filmed?
The movie Code of Silence was made from September 2024 to February 2025. The show takes place in Canterbury, but most of it was filmed in Hertfordshire and nearby counties. A few important scenes were also filmed in London and Milton Keynes.
Executive producer Bryony Arnold said that filming in Canterbury was hard because there wasn’t a lot of crew infrastructure or easy access. Instead, locations from St. Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and other towns near the M25 were used to recreate the look and feel of the city. This smart work on the locations made the backdrop of Canterbury seem real, and it also kept the production running smoothly.
• Key Filming Locations in Hertfordshire and Beyond
1. Watford Police Station (Shady Lane, Watford)
A large portion of the series takes place inside the police station where Alison works in the canteen. The production team used the now-closed Watford Police Station for these scenes. While it provided authentic backdrops for the offices and interrogation rooms, the station lacked a canteen. For those scenes, the crew cleverly filmed inside a local school cafeteria to double as Alison’s workplace.
2. St Albans and Local Hotspots
A lot of the filming for Code of Silence took place in St. Albans, with some of its streets and businesses being changed to look like they were in Canterbury. One of the most interesting places was The Garibaldi Pub, which was changed on screen to “The Canterbury Tap.” This is where Alison hides to watch the gang.
The Buongiorno Italia Deli on Lattimore Road was also a key location and was used as a film set for a short time. The well-known Italian store, which is known for its fresh deli items, shut its doors to customers while actors in white dungarees filmed scenes that looked like they were happening in an old-fashioned butcher’s shop.Crews and production vans filled the surrounding streets, drawing the attention of curious locals.
Filming also extended to the St Albans Conservative Club, which appeared in the series during community and social scenes connected to the police storyline. Residents of St Albans became familiar with the sight of cameras, lighting rigs, and temporary signage as the city played host to multiple days of production. For many locals, watching their familiar streets and favorite businesses transformed into parts of a tense crime drama was a highlight of the filming period.
3. Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted
Exterior shots for Canterbury streets were often filmed in Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted, which matched the quaint, historic vibe of the story’s setting. A local pub in Hemel Hempstead also featured in the show’s opening episodes.
4. Wrotham Park (Barnet, Hertfordshire)
In episode four, Alison and Liam share a romantic weekend at the fictional Hawthorne Estate Hotel. The luxurious property was actually Wrotham Park, a grand private estate frequently used in British period dramas. Though it is not open to the public, its stunning architecture gave the show an authentic countryside hotel feel.
5. London Locations
Several key scenes in Code of Silence took the story into London, adding a metropolitan edge to the otherwise small-city crime drama. In episode two, Liam and Alison head to a nightclub to meet one of Liam’s criminal associates. The interior nightclub scenes were filmed at one75 Bar in West Hampstead, a stylish cocktail bar that added an authentic nightlife atmosphere. Meanwhile, the exterior shots for the nightclub were captured along the South Bank near the Oxo Tower, providing an iconic London backdrop that contrasts with the quieter streets of “Canterbury.”
The capital also hosted the heist sequence at a high-security vault, which was filmed inside Freemasons’ Hall, a landmark building in central London. Later in the series, the characters share a quieter, more traditional London moment when they visit Tony’s Pie & Mash Shop, a beloved eatery with a long history and celebrity clientele, including David Beckham. These London locations helped elevate the drama’s stakes, showing the gang’s operations spreading beyond the quieter suburban streets into the heart of the city.
6. Planet Ice in Milton Keynes
Planet Ice in Milton Keynes — featured in Code of Silence as the fictional “Denstroude Ice Centre” — is a real arena located in Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Episode three features an ice-skating sequence, supposedly at “Denstroude Ice Centre.” In reality, this was filmed at Planet Ice in Milton Keynes, giving the show another authentic yet accessible location.
In addition to the main spots in St Albans and Watford, Code of Silence also filmed at several other Hertfordshire locations to bring “Canterbury” to life. The Hub on the Verulam in St Albans doubled as Orchard House Café, while The Old Kings Arms and Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead were used for exterior pub scenes and heist‑planning sequences. In Berkhamsted, the stylish Prime Steak & Grill appeared as a trendy bar where Liam and Alison share moments outside the investigation. These locations, combined with previously known spots like Wrotham Park and Buongiorno Italia, showcase how the production used Hertfordshire’s mix of historic and modern sites to create a convincing setting.
Why the Production Chose These Locations
Filming Code of Silence outside its narrative setting was both a creative and practical decision. Hertfordshire and its surrounding counties offer a wide variety of filming locations within easy reach of London. This region provides everything from historic pubs to suburban streets, allowing the crew to mimic the look of Canterbury without the logistical challenges of filming in the city itself.
Rose Ayling-Ellis shared that Canterbury still influenced her portrayal of Alison. She drew inspiration from her friends and the city’s “vintage culture” when creating Alison’s wardrobe of second-hand jumpers and mix-and-match outfits.
For viewers, the seamless blending of real-life locations and fictional storytelling makes the show feel authentic, despite its geographically creative filming strategy.
Local Impact and Behind-the-Scenes Insight
The series generated plenty of buzz in Hertfordshire during its months-long shoot. Residents in St Albans and Watford frequently spotted the cast and crew, with temporary road closures announced for Abbots Avenue and Nuns Lane during February 2025.
One of the most talked-about moments was when Buongiorno Italia deli closed to the public for a day while filming took place inside. Locals were amused to see cameras, lighting rigs, and actors in butcher-style white overalls taking over the beloved Italian shop.
Similarly, the transformation of The Garibaldi pub into The Canterbury Tap became a small local landmark for fans following the production.
Officail Trailer
For more updates on movie and TV show filming locations, visit netfilming.com, your source for behind-the-scenes production news.
Preparation for the Next Life (2025) Filming Locations
