London’s Maida Vale Studios has been bought to a partnership between Working Title co-chairmen Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner and composer Hans Zimmer and his enterprise companion Steve Kofsky.
In line with the companions, the plan is to maintain the unique façade of the constructing and “preserve the ethos of Maida Vale”. The constructing will stay as a studio house, with a multi-million pound refurbishment plan for its present studios in addition to a not-for-profit instructional facility.
Monetary phrases of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Maida Vale Studios was first purchased by the BBC in 1933. Since then, it has seen the likes of David Bowie, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Dusty Springfield report within the constructing, and has change into a house for the BBC Performing Group. It has additionally extra lately welcomed the likes of Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry and Sam Smith.
The sale of Maida Vale comes after plans had been introduced in 2018 for the BBC to maneuver its music studios and performing teams from its Maida Vale location to a purpose-built recording and studio house in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The brand new BBC Music Studios in ‘East Bank’ – deliberate to open in late 2025 – is a part of a wider partnership with the V&A, Sadler’s Wells, UCL and UAL’s London Faculty of Style to create a “creative quarter” within the space.
Oscar winner Zimmer has composed on a number of Working Title motion pictures together with Rush and Frost/Nixon.
Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner stated of the deal: “Maida Vale Studios has been synonymous with artistic excellence for generations. The venue has become part of the fabric of the UK’s pioneering cultural industry, from helping to nurture new and ground-breaking artists, to housing some of the world’s most legendary musicians. We are thrilled to be partnering with our old friends Hans Zimmer and Steve Kofsky on this once in a lifetime project and collectively we are determined to continue the BBC’s legacy at Maida Vale by attracting global talent to the UK. Through our redevelopment plans we will future proof the historic site, continuing its presence in the local community with a new education facility, whilst creating a world class studio space for the next generation of composers, producers, editors and engineers.”
Hans Zimmer added: “The primary time I labored for the BBC at their Maida Vale Studios was 45 years in the past. I used to be only a child, in awe, honored to be booked to play on one in all my first classes. I nonetheless keep in mind the robust pull, the need to the touch the partitions, as if that will in some way enable me to connect with the artists whose extraordinary music had resonated in opposition to these partitions each day. This was a spot of revolutionary science within the service of artwork, this was a spot that impressed you to offer your finest, the place music was carried out across the clock and artwork was taken critically. For the individuals by the individuals. This was the place that saved a struggling musician like me from giving up.
“At the same time, Tim, Eric and I started working together, making our first movies. Movies not only made in Britain with the greatest talent the country had – and still has – to offer, but movies that often provoked and had something to say about a changing Britain; that gave voice to our generation. Usually by making you laugh. My work with Working Title gave me my career in Hollywood, where Steve Kofsky became my partner, and he and I made sure to drag the work from as many Hollywood films as possible back to Britain. So now I want to close the circle: make Maida Vale Studios a place that inspires, teaches, technologically serves the arts and humanity – and gives the next generation the same opportunities I was given: to create and to never give up.”
Lorna Clarke, BBC’s Director of Music, commented: “Maida Vale has performed such an essential half within the BBC’s historical past, and its significance in standard tradition is big. We’re so happy to safe a sale which seems to be to proceed the intense, vibrant way forward for music making on this iconic constructing – not solely offering new studio areas however jobs and an training facilty.
“We look ahead to having the ability to proceed to ship world-class music to BBC audiences with our new tailored BBC Music Studios within the splendidly wealthy cultural district of London’s East Financial institution.
