If you’re anything like us, you’ve already devoured the first episode of Code of Silence, ITV’s tense new six-part thriller starring Rose Ayling-Ellis as Alison. And now you’re wondering where Code of Silence was filmed.
The show has been hotly anticipated and is ITV’s big offering of the summer. Rose plays Alison Brooks, a deaf catering worker (who works at a police canteen), who is pulled into an undercover police operation to lip-read conversations with criminals.
But while the drama may be set in Canterbury, fans have been quick to notice that the show’s backdrop doesn’t always match its official setting. So where was Code of Silence filmed?
In fact, the show wasn’t filmed in Kent at all, with the series instead being shot almost entirely in Hertfordshire, with real streets, pubs and high streets in towns like St Albans and Hemel Hempstead stepping in for the historic cathedral city.
Filming began in autumn 2024 and wrapped earlier this year, with the production team transforming corners of Hertfordshire into believable stand-ins for Canterbury’s cobbled charm.
Samuel Dore/ITV
Code of Silence filming locations
The Old Town of Hemel Hempstead was a central Code of Silence filming location: The Old Town Hall was reimagined as a local gallery, while surrounding streets were dressed with police tape and market stalls to create the illusion of a bustling cathedral city on edge.
Another key filming location is the historic market town of St Albans itself, which features heavily throughout the series. With its winding streets, independent shops, and centuries-old architecture, it offers a quintessentially British backdrop that feels both charming and quietly tense — mirroring Alison’s increasingly complex double life. The show makes full use of the town’s visual contrasts, from leafy residential streets to stark, utilitarian police offices, drawing out the tension between Alison’s private world and her public responsibilities.
Alison’s café
And yes, that café scene from episode one — where Alison is juggling her covert lip-reading duties with a shift at her day job, only to be sacked after a single mistake — was filmed in a real working restaurant. The location? The Hub on Verulam Road in St Albans.
Canterbury Tap
More than just a brunch spot, The Hub is a versatile, popular venue with a packed calendar and a cosy cinema space tucked inside. Meanwhile, a well-known neighbourhood pub, The Garibaldi on Albert Street (St Albans), became the fictional ‘Canterbury Tap’, a recurring haunt for Alison and her police handler Liam, played by Joe Absolom.