I think this film is underrated.
It looks great,London can be a beutiful city but here it looks like amazing,dark,scary and dangerous.
The scenes in the bar seem real,it looks like a real rough boozer full of dodgy characters who the local police would know by name.
Could a bar as rough as that really be in Chelsea?
I like the way the fellow travellers are shown.
Checked it out,it is in Chelsea and it still exists.
I woold like to have a drink in there then go to the bar in THE SERVANT,ending up in the bar in THE SMALL BACK ROOM.
Alas I don't have a time machine.
In the film, it's meant to be in Battersea which is just south of the river from Chelsea. In fact, it was announced last week that Chelsea FC are thinking of building their new stadium within the old Battersea Power Station. Putney Hill is also mentioned which is also in SW London.
Aside from the washed-out colours here, I think many parts of London were pretty shabby-looking. There's a similar vibe to be had watching some of The Professionals which date from the mid-late 70s.