Essential Hotels > England > Berkshire > Slough

Slough is a much maligned town which is situated in the east of Berkshire, a short distance to the west of London. Famously, it is home to Slough Trading Estate which has been the major focus of its economy since the 1920s when it first began to develop and is now home to a swathe of new offices that showcase its information-based economy where manufacturing once proudly stood. Not only is Slough Trading Estate well known, it is also Europe’s largest trade estate in single ownership, showing something of the sheer scale of this town and its surroundings. The town takes up a position around 15 to 20 miles to the west of London city centre and is set on the M4 as it makes its way between the capital and Wales. It is also within reach of the M25 and M40 while Maidenhead is a short distance to the west and Windsor a little way to the south.

To add an educational flavour to Slough, the town is home to a Thames Valley University campus, one of several spread out along the Thames corridor. Despite the stereotypical old office block appearance, there has been a period of town centre redevelopment in the 21st century which has given a new look to some central areas, with new offices and shops replacing older buildings. The Heart of Slough redevelopment project has been responsible for this, although some have objected to the loss of some of the town’s older structures. Among the new occupants of offices in Slough are the likes of Nintendo, Amazon, Black and Decker and a number of high-profile car manufacturers.

Other things to come out of the town of Slough include the Office television series that was shown on the BBC in the early 21st century starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent, the Mars Bar which has been produced in the town since 1932 and the unfavourable John Betjeman poem simply named ‘Slough’.

The first historical mention of Slough came in the year 1196 and it was initially known as Slo, followed by Le Slowe, Slowe or Slow after a period of French influence in the 15th century. It was first called Slough in 1443. St Laurence’s Church is approximately 900 years old and is among the oldest buildings in the area, along with some other historic buildings in the town. Notably, Slough train station was unveiled in 1840 opening up a whole new world of possibilities, while Slough Trading Estate first began operating in the 1920s creating a wealth of employment prospects that continue to this day.