David Brent: Life on the Road

The documentary is introduced by David Brent before one of his tracks plays over the titles. Looking down onto the M4 Motorway to the north of Bray Lake in Buckinghamshire with the bridge carrying Monkey Island Lane to the left of centre and Dorney Reach to the top centre.

# Half a tank should get me to Millbank, I fill her up and head down to Sidcup, It's just a meeting, It's only fleeting, It's just a pitch and then I'm off to Ipswich . . . Millbank stands a way below the bottom left of this shot showing the Thames as it snakes through London past the Houses of Parliament on the left and the London Eye to the right of centre.

# Life on the road, Don't need a heavy load, Foot down to the floor, 70 miles an hour, But no more . . . Darren Taylor found the Classic Service Station at the corner of Old Watford Road and Oakwood Road, just off the North Orbital Road in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire.

Darren provides proof of the previously unidentified location. Image copyright Google.

# Wheeler dealing, No feeling, Strictly business, I'm killing it Widnes . . .

# Then to Gloucester, I get a Costa, Hard Shoulder, Coffee Holder . . . Actually this service station is on Bath Road in Slough . . .

Six years later, Antony Blair found that Costa coffee are still on site.

# Life on the road, Don't need a heavy load, Foot down to the floor, 70 miles an hour, But never more. Tesco Extra on Wellington Street, Slough dominates the right of the scene.

Scenes of David trying to impress clients are interspersed with the external shots. Di Davies informs us that this is, or rather was, Slough College, William Street, Slough and that there was originally three such towers. She also points out that the college also features in captures 16, 17 and 26 of 'The Mind Benders'. The buildings have gone the way of so many Slough landmarks - yes, that's right - demolished! (RL)

The would be rock star is seen leaving Slough Trading Estate, where the company he works for is based. Facing north- west at the junction of Bath Road and Ipswich Road in Slough.

Returning to the office, the sales rep arrives in the car park at the rear of Lavichem. Wellstones at the rear of the Telephone Exchange in Watford, Hertfordshire.

David Brent (Ricky Gervais) gets out of his Vauxhall Insignia. Wellstones off Exchange Road in Watford with St. Vincent’s Cottages off Marlborough Road in the left distance.

The camera catches David as he makes his way towards the entrance of the cleaning products distributor. The Telephone Exchange on Exchange Road, Watford.

David arrives at a ‘top notch’ recording studio where he hires sound engineer Dan Harvey as the band’s mixer for more than the tour budget can afford.

The band members of Foregone Conclusion (Andy Burrows, Stuart Wilkinson, Steve Clarke and Michael Clarke) pass David’s car as they leave rehearsals.

Dan Harvey (Tom Basden) and Dom (Doc Brown) turn as David calls to them before getting in his car.

# Sold my shack in Memphis, bought me a Cheverolet six string in the back and a bottle of Jack And I headed down to Mexico way. This is the corner of Cippenham and Westgate Crescent, adjacent to Bath Road, in Slough, Berkshire recognised by Douglas Shaw.

Foregone Conclusion’s front man and tour organiser approaches his suburban semi. Facing south on Gervaise Close in Slough, Berkshire.

Antony Blair took to the road ten years later and travelled to Gervaise Close.

Inside the house, David packs instruments and clothing for the tour. Gervaise Close in the Cippenham area of Slough.

Facing numbers 22 and 24 by Antony Blair.

Having to take eleven days unpaid leave from work due to a miscalculation, David catches up with the band as they load their equipment onto the top of the range, state of the art, air conditioned tour bus.

With David following in his own car due to there “not being enough room on the bus”, the tour gets under way.

The short convoy heads the short distance to the first venue. North Western Avenue passing through Leavesden in Watford with properties on Orbital Crescent to the top.

The band leave the bus when they arrive at their hotel. Although all of the band’s performances are scheduled in and around Slough, this is the Mercure Hotel on the A41 North Western Avenue in Bushey near Watford, Hertfordshire.

A smiling David Brent rolls his luggage into the hotel behind the rest of the band. The Mercure Hotel on the outskirts of Watford.

Following a poorly attended performance, the band move on for their next appearance. The roundabout at the junction of the A4 Wellington Street and the A412 Yew Tree Road / Uxbridge Road with the tower of Sainsbury’s supermarket visible to the bottom left. Di also points out that a ground level comparison shot can be see in 'Carry on Loving' Capture 3. (RL)

Foregone Conclusion’s bus comes to a stand at another hotel. Alongside Lexington Apartments on Railway Terrace in Slough with Holiday Inn Express to the right.

After hiring a Publicist, David heads to a tattoo parlour when she comments on his lack of body art. The Flamin’ Eight tattoo parlour on Castle Road, Kentish Town in London NW1.

As expected, there's little change in this comparison shot by Tris.

With disastrous ticket sales and following an awful radio publicity spot, David trails behind the tour bus towards another town. Looking down onto the M4 crossing Jubilee River in Buckinghamshire.

David spots his face on a notice board outside the Student Union bar where the band are booked to play.

Another day and another journey to another hotel. An ariel view of the Chalvey area of Slough with the M4 to the right and Tuns Lane heading off to the left.

As money begins to run out, the band check in using one of David’s credit cards. Jurys Inn hotel on Clarendon Road, Watford in Hertfordshire.

Rapper Dom looks out of a hotel window before returning to the twin room that he’s sharing with David.

Views of Slough are seen before the next show. # More convenient than a Tesco Express, Close to Windsor but the propety's less, It keeps the businesses of Britain great, It's got Europe's biggest trading estate . . . Overlooking Slough with High Street running west to east in the centre and Wellington Street on the right . . .

# It doesn't matter where you're from, You wanna work? Then come along, The station's just got a new floor, And the motorway runs by your door, And you know just where you're heading It's equidistant 'tween London and Reading . . . Oh, oh, oh Slough (Slough), My kind of town, I don't know how anyone could put you down . . . Wellington Street with Salamanca, HTC’s UK headquarters, in the centre and the Tesco Extra petrol station to the bottom right.

# To the west, you got Taplow and Bray, You've got Hillingdon the other way, It's a brilliant place to live and work, It was in Bucks now officially it's Berks. Slough Bus Station, looking north towards Brunel Way.

Photographed in November 2025. Slough Bus Station was damaged by fire in October 2022 and has been left derelict. As the council is unable to afford the £14m needed for repairs, the site is to be sold off to developers. Opened in 2011, Slough Bus Station replaced the Brunel Bus Station which was seen in the title sequence of 'The Office'. SD

# Don't believe what the critics say, Like it's soulless and boring and grey, See for yourself, what are you waiting for? We're on the Bath road, that's the A4, And you know just where you're heading It's equidistant 'tween London and Reading. Facing west, looking past the junction of the A4 Wellington Street and High Street with Key Point in the right distance.

At an ATM outside the venue following another disappointing gig, David manages to persuade Mo (Ashley McGuire) and her mate Cat (Roisin Conaty) back to his hotel room.

After Dom is a hit at a Battle of the Bands contest but Foregone Conclusion fail to impress, David enjoys a day off. Facing west on Railway Terrace in Slough.

With the tour over, David returns home about £20,000 down. Gervaise Close in Slough, Berkshire.

Having failed to get the band a record deal, the rock star returns to his job at Lavichem. The Telephone Exchange on Exchange Road in Watford, Hertfordshire.