Pie in the Sky is a British television drama that originally aired on BBC One from 1994 to 1997, spanning five series and 40 episodes. Filmed largely in southern England, the show blended gentle crime-solving with warm, character-driven storytelling, creating a cosy and distinctive tone that set it apart from more hard-edged police dramas of its era.
At the heart of the series is Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, portrayed by the late Richard Griffiths. After being injured during a bungled police operation, Crabbe decides he has had enough of life on the force and plans to retire early so he can pursue his true passion: cooking. His dream is to run a small, high-quality restaurant called Pie in the Sky. However, Crabbe’s retirement is far from straightforward. His ambitious and manipulative boss, Assistant Chief Constable Freddie Fisher, pressures him into remaining on call for police work, using Crabbe’s “unresolved” status from the failed operation as leverage.
Crabbe’s world in the kitchen, supported by his business-savvy wife Margaret and a colourful staff, provides warmth, humour and character moments. Meanwhile, his reluctant returns to policing offer light mystery and drama, often tinged with gentle satire about bureaucracy and police politics. In this post we take a look at the key Pie in the Sky filming locations.
Pie in the Sky Restaurant
The external shots of the Pie in the Sky restaurant were filmed on the High Street in Hemel Hempsted as shown below. The internal shots were filmed inside Bray Studios at Water Oakley.
64 High St, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AQ
Westershire Constabulary Headquarters exterior
3 New Square, Feltham TW14 8HA – Was used for the location of Westershire Constabulary Headquarters, a short drive from Heathrow Airport.
Hospital
In the first episode of series 1, after getting shot, Henry ends up in hospital where he is visited by his wife followed by ACC Freddy Fisher This as filmed at King Edward VII Hospital, St. Leonards Rd, Windsor SL4 3DP.
Copthorne Hotel
The hotel used in series 1, episode 1 was the Copthorne Hotel in Slough.
Epi 1 Cippenham Ln, Slough SL1 2YE
Coppid Beech Hotel
In episode two of series one the Hotel used for filming was Coppid Beech Hotel in Bracknell.
Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way, Binfield, Bracknell RG12 8TF
Locations To Find
Crabbe’s Original House
If you know of any of these locations or any other Pie in the Sky filming locations, please comment below.