Though The Brittas Empire was predominately filmed in a studio, Ringwood Health & Leisure Centre in Hampshire - a fully functioning leisure centre - was used for many of the interior and all of the exterior shots. After extensive refurbishments in 2017, the Centre was re-opened with a full reunion of all of the original cast & writers.
Though Chris Barrie was filming The Brittas Empire alongside Red Dwarf (1988), there is only one very subtle crossover reference. Both Brittas & Rimmer spent one day working on The Samaritans switchboard. All the people both characters spoke to killed themselves, and both included one wrong number.
Many articles and retrospectives have claimed Tim and Gavin as the first ever depiction of a gay couple in British sitcom. This is untrue, Agony (1979), starring Maureen Lipman prominently featured a gay couple, Rob (Jeremy Bulloch, who famously played Boba Fett in the original Star Wars films) and Michael (played by Peter Denyer of Please Sir! (1968) fame). That show ran from 1979 to 1981. However, neither actor was openly gay and the characters are often laughed at, rather than with. Russell Porter, who plays Tim, is openly gay and Tim & Gavin's relationship is shown as arguably (and refreshingly) the most natural in the show.
While there appeared to be dozens and dozens of staff members at the Leisure Centre, only the main cast and incidental regular character Patrick are shown on the billboard of staff members there to help the public behind Carole's desk.