Apple Tree Yard: CCTV fear for couples who want to copy steamy drama
COUPLES hoping to recreate scenes from new steamy BBC drama Apple Tree Yard could be caught on real the alley's CCTV.
Apple Tree Yard starring Emily Watson
The raunchy psychological thriller is named after a real ally in posh Mayfair, surrounded by upmarket boutiques and cameras pointing at the rear of rows of shops.
Scenes from the first episode see DNA expert Dr Yvonne Carmichael, played by Emily Watson, slope off for a public sex session with civil servant Mark Costley, Ben Chaplin, who she meets outside the Houses of Parliament.
Based on the novel by Louise Doughty, the pair get down and dirty in an alleyway and also sneak into a church to have sex in a cupboard.
Dr Carmichael slopes off for a public sex session with civil servant Costley in episode one
But in the second episode events take a turn for the worse when she suffers a rape at the hands of a work colleague.
To start having sex might be a bit too much as it's not very secluded
The real-life narrow alley in central London, sits behind a posh hot desk membership club, called the Clubhouse in St James's Square.
Apple Tree Yard is also opposite St James's Church just off Piccadilly.
On the other side are rows of jewellers, barbers and expensive suit shops, such as T.M Lewin, Geo F Trumper, and Charles Whitt and a Church's shoe shop.
David Hatcher, 46, works as an IT analyst and stopped to take a picture of the Apple Tree Yard street sign on his way home.
He said: "I have seen the first episode and I think it is very good, it has a lot of potential.
"It's a very dark psychological thriller, I think it is going to get better and better.
"I suppose people might come to the real place to see what it's actually like and maybe take a picture, but to start having sex might be a bit too much as it's not very secluded, there are people constantly walking up and down the street.
The real-life narrow alley in central London is covered by CCTV
Yannick Bogassian, 37, who works near the yard said: "It's strange the show is named after this road.
"I have not seen the show myself but some people in the office have been talking about it.
"I don't know whether people will actually come down here for that reason, it's a possibility.
"If they did it would be very bad for the people who work here like me."
Apple Tree Yard is based on the novel by Louise Doughty
But others who work near the dingy alley, which has delivery vans coming in and out during the day and evening, believe CCTV directed at the alley will put off randy couples.
Maria Shooter, 52, said: "I don't think people are going to come down here and have sex in public as it's very busy here, even at night.
"There's a lot of CCTV cameras around and it's so cold at the moment, I think it might put them off.
"I have not seen the show yet but I might now as it is near where I work."
Four-part drama Apple Tree Yard is on Sundays at 9pm on BBC1.