Yes, it is the highest court in the land, and the decisions have consequences. But the judicial system is different than America's, and that makes a difference. There is no formal Constitution in the United Kingdom. Instead, cases are decided mostly on following existing precedent. The Court can't overturn actions taken by Parliament.
What's more, a Supreme Court is a relatively new concept in this country. The idea was authorized in 2004 and put into action in 2009. The usual home of the Court is Middlesex Guildhall, a short walk from the House of Parliament. The building is about a bit older than a century, but some serious revisions had to be done in order for it to be ready to host a Supreme Court.
We happened to be in the area when the Court was preparing to issue an important ruling on what the legal definition of "woman" meant in terms of the 2010 equality act. There were plenty of TV cameras around, and some people with a stake in the decision were hanging around and waiting for the decision. It seemed quite familiar to American tourists, who knew the scene from similar moments in Washington, D.C.
People in London had the chance to look around the Court's home some years ago:
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