In The Screaming Staircase, DEPRAC is described as being part government and part police – and in The Whispering Skull, we are told it also has a research arm. The books site the main offices at Scotland Yard on the Victoria Embankment, with research laboratories underneath Victoria Street, which is nearer Westminster Abbey.

In the TV show, the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre stands in for the main headquarters. It certainly fits the description of a glass fronted facade, and it’s a nice touch that it is in the vicinity of Victoria Street.

The building is modern in comparison to many of its neighbours, having been built in 1986, although the site has been important since medieval times. The building is directly owned by HM Government, so be careful when visiting the area as it has tight security, even though it is an event space. Not only are the interior scenes for Deprac actually shot within the building itself, but also the scenes of Lucy in hospital, and the ghost-lock ward.

The area around the building is the hub of British democracy. Not only is the centre opposite Westminster Abbey, but it sits across from the Houses of Parliament and the offices of much of the British government. Truly an excellent choice of location for what passes for law and order in Lockwood’s world!

Here are a few facts about the area:

Westminster Abbey is an Anglican cathedral. Westminster Cathedral is about half a mile down Victoria Street – and is Catholic. The latter is red and cream and completely unmistakable! On certain days of the week, you can pay a small fee in the cathedral gift shop and get a lift to its roof to see 360 degree views of London (usually without any queues).

The area around the QEII conference centre was an island of solid ground in the middle of a marsh originally, so some of the roads have the word “hill” in their name, even though the place is flat.

Behind the centre are Storey Gate and Birdcage Walk. Strange names which deserve a bit of explanation. St James’ Park was, like most London green spaces, a private parkland fenced off from the general public. The park included the Royal Menagerie and aviaries (managed by the Storey family), hence the name Birdcage Walk. Only the British Royal family was allowed to drive along the road until 1828. Today, the road is on the route of the London Marathon!

Between the QEII centre and the River Thames on the North side is Whitehall. This has been the site of the administration offices for the UK Government since it was the Palace of Whitehall (1530 – 1698), although the buildings have changed somewhat. Along this street you will see The Cenotaph (the most important war memorial in the UK), offices for many government departments – and of course, Downing Street – the official residence of the UK Prime Minister.

Behind Whitehall and the QEII Centre are Horseguard’s Parade, The Churchill War Rooms, and the location mentioned by Jonathan Stroud as the Tomb for Fallen Agents created after the events in The Hollow Boy.

In The Hollow Boy, Deprac also has a secondary, temporary headquarters within the district of Chelsea. This is harder to pin down specifically, but the general area of Sloane Square is interesting for being the gateway to the Chelsea Outbreak, the history of its tube station, plus the department store which was the inspiration for Aickmeres’!

You can find out more about the QEII Conference Centre in our blogs.