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whatsupuk@audiomedia.com<br />
Peeling Goodbye, Away Abbey Pinewood Road?<br />
Investment company Peel has made When a it bid was for announced Pinewood Abbey that will Road perhaps Studios give was the up studio for sale, extra petitions muscle were to help quickly it succeed raised in against difficult it.<br />
times. KEVIN KEVIN HILTON HILTON ponders finds out the what role this the could studios mean have for played the studio in our in musical its new and 21st-century cultural heritage. role…<br />
The Beatles are held in great affection by most recordings made at the studios.<br />
and artists going out on their own.<br />
Brits, and there was a wailing and a gnashing The immediate fear was that the building at 3 EMI was thrown a lifeline in 2007 when it<br />
Pinewood<br />
of teeth when<br />
Studios<br />
the news broke<br />
was<br />
that<br />
April<br />
Abbey<br />
27, ups<br />
Abbey<br />
the value<br />
Road,<br />
of Pinewood,<br />
NW8, would be<br />
the<br />
turned<br />
broadcast<br />
into<br />
side<br />
luxury<br />
of the business<br />
was bought<br />
a<br />
the by equity group’s investor plans for Terra the future Firma. is<br />
Road Studios,<br />
established<br />
where<br />
as<br />
the<br />
Britain’s<br />
Fab Four<br />
very<br />
recorded<br />
Shepperton,<br />
most apartments<br />
and Teddington<br />
or offices.<br />
to<br />
That<br />
similar<br />
was understandable;<br />
knock.<br />
In its statement the EMI Project says Pinewood the owner development, “made<br />
of their<br />
own<br />
records,<br />
Hollywood<br />
had been<br />
and<br />
put<br />
helped<br />
up for sale<br />
£96.1m<br />
by its<br />
($159.2m).<br />
these days<br />
The<br />
the<br />
formal<br />
actual bricks<br />
Even<br />
and<br />
the<br />
mortar<br />
serious<br />
of a<br />
financial<br />
the preservation<br />
press<br />
which of Abbey is still Road on hold a priority”, awaiting even the<br />
owner,<br />
define<br />
EMI.<br />
British<br />
Except<br />
cinema<br />
it wasn’t.<br />
during<br />
It almost<br />
the<br />
had<br />
offer<br />
been,<br />
states<br />
property,<br />
that “each<br />
or often<br />
Pinewood<br />
just the land<br />
insist<br />
on<br />
on<br />
which<br />
describing<br />
it stands,<br />
Pinewood<br />
though<br />
as the<br />
the studios outcome had of been an appeal losing against money South for<br />
but<br />
20th<br />
not<br />
century.<br />
at the<br />
<strong>Media</strong>CityUK<br />
time BBC Radio<br />
has<br />
2<br />
been<br />
presenter<br />
Shareholder<br />
Chris are<br />
will<br />
worth<br />
be<br />
more<br />
entitled<br />
than what<br />
to<br />
goes<br />
home<br />
on<br />
of<br />
within<br />
the James<br />
it.<br />
Bond<br />
several<br />
films,<br />
years.<br />
so<br />
In Buckinghamshire the middle of 2009, District EMI received Council<br />
Evans<br />
conceived<br />
led a campaign<br />
as an international<br />
to save the<br />
film<br />
studios<br />
receive<br />
for the<br />
200 pence<br />
But this<br />
in<br />
overlooks<br />
cash per<br />
the fact<br />
the<br />
that<br />
delay<br />
there<br />
in green-lighting<br />
are few an<br />
the<br />
offer<br />
next<br />
of over withholding GB£30 million planning to buy permission.<br />
Abbey Road.<br />
nation<br />
and television<br />
and Andrew<br />
production<br />
Lloyd Webber<br />
centre<br />
showed<br />
for Pinewood<br />
interest<br />
Share”,<br />
studios<br />
plus<br />
left<br />
a 2.5p<br />
in<br />
dividend.<br />
the UK big enough<br />
007 epic<br />
for<br />
due<br />
orchestral<br />
to the bankruptcy<br />
This was<br />
of<br />
rejected Pinewood because EMI wants believed to build it should what is<br />
in<br />
the<br />
buying<br />
21st<br />
it.<br />
century.<br />
recording<br />
This<br />
sessions.<br />
improves<br />
Despite<br />
on distributor<br />
the rise of the<br />
MGM<br />
project<br />
was another<br />
continue<br />
major<br />
to own described the studios. as the world’s first purposebuilt<br />
an “live Abbey work” Road film branded television online<br />
Both<br />
The story<br />
were<br />
that the only recording studio most studio<br />
the<br />
and<br />
original<br />
laptop<br />
deal of<br />
technology,<br />
setback. Because<br />
mainstream<br />
of these stumbling<br />
“…That offer<br />
In July last year<br />
people<br />
created<br />
have<br />
to be<br />
heard<br />
selfcontained,<br />
of was to be sold broke in the artists<br />
190p<br />
and<br />
a<br />
producers<br />
share plus<br />
still want<br />
blocks<br />
strings<br />
the second<br />
and brass<br />
biggest<br />
mastering<br />
investor<br />
service complex, was launched, with sound giving stages, artists audio the<br />
Financial Times<br />
almost<br />
on February was 15, 2010. reassessed<br />
The paper on recordings,<br />
the dividend.<br />
making for<br />
in<br />
an<br />
Pinewood,<br />
ongoing demand<br />
activist fund<br />
chance<br />
Crystal<br />
for their dubbing recordings theatres, to and be mastered video editing by<br />
is<br />
self-sustaining<br />
respected and usually well informed, but much outside the<br />
The<br />
needs<br />
Pinewood<br />
of classical<br />
Amber,<br />
labels.<br />
last year called for<br />
the<br />
Grade<br />
studios’<br />
and<br />
engineers. suites, on Abbey 44 hectares Road’s of operations<br />
Green Belt<br />
of<br />
cities<br />
the piece<br />
that<br />
headlined<br />
had<br />
“EMI’s<br />
after<br />
long<br />
controversial<br />
and winding Through<br />
board<br />
all of this<br />
is<br />
EMI<br />
another<br />
maintained<br />
independent<br />
a noncommittal<br />
director<br />
have expanded<br />
to<br />
land. over The the public years inquiry beyond considering<br />
recording<br />
road<br />
everything<br />
leads to Abbey Road sale sign” read like a<br />
recommending<br />
stance. A statement<br />
step down.<br />
finally came on and mastering; an interactive division was launched<br />
press<br />
filmmakers<br />
release.<br />
and TV Egyptian businessman<br />
Pinewood’s appeal was underway in<br />
Sunday,<br />
that<br />
February<br />
shareholders<br />
21: “In response to recent press for DVD authoring April, and with the closing studios submissions have been used set<br />
producers<br />
Soon the<br />
needed<br />
news was all over the media. speculation<br />
accept<br />
EMI<br />
the<br />
confirms<br />
deal.<br />
Mohammed Fayed<br />
it is holding A Ray preliminary Of Light for the Channel for 4 early TV series May. Live After from that Abbey the Inspector Road.<br />
Chris<br />
within<br />
Evans picked<br />
their<br />
up the story the following day discussions<br />
The Chairman<br />
for the revitalisation Matters of have Abbey improved Road There this year, is also Abbey in charge Road will Live, write a location a report recording to be<br />
on<br />
boundaries.<br />
his breakfast show declared and ran with an it, devoting, interest in with interested<br />
of Pinewood,<br />
and appropriate with third the parties.” group opening and a distribution sales sent service. to the Secretary of State for<br />
with<br />
Now<br />
a few<br />
there’s<br />
exceptions, his Friday programme to The<br />
Lord<br />
future<br />
Grade<br />
of Abbey<br />
of<br />
Road office Studios in Los was Angeles further to actively The same Communities day that Abbey and Local Road Government.<br />
was listed<br />
the likelihood buying Pinewood. Yarmouth, who,<br />
cemented bring in on production Monday, from by the English US. Heritage, A final decision EMI announced on the planning a range<br />
that the two will<br />
as Michael Grade,<br />
February 22, when English of branded merchandising based around the<br />
become united The former owner of<br />
Like other members of the application due either later this year<br />
was Chairman of<br />
Heritage filmmaking awarded community, the Pinewood<br />
studios, making or them early next. even more of a commodity.<br />
– by ownership<br />
the BBC, Executive<br />
Harrods and present<br />
building has been Grade affected II Listed by This includes t-shirts, laptop cases, If Peel and is notebooks successful<br />
at least – if Peel<br />
Chairman of<br />
status. the recession This is usually but is bearing the Abbey Road name, in its slogans bid such for as<br />
Acquisitions Chairman of Fulham ITV, and Chief<br />
“If Peel is<br />
granted looking to to preserve attract more a ‘Eight Track Mind’ and images Pinewood of the TG12345 it could MkII<br />
(Pegasus) is<br />
Executive at<br />
property inward of architectural<br />
investment, recording console. use its considerable<br />
successful in its Football Club was<br />
successful in its<br />
Channel 4, said:<br />
importance, that is productions but in this and The most puzzling thing in development all this is that knowhow<br />
and muscle<br />
Listed<br />
bid to buy all<br />
“The Board is<br />
case Abbey Road has been Status was applied for in 2002 by unnamed<br />
shares in the reportedly considering<br />
money from overseas bid for Pinewood<br />
satisfied that the<br />
listed producers for its “outstanding<br />
wanting to party. Roger Bowdler, Head to of push Designation with at<br />
Pinewood group.<br />
long-term future<br />
making an all-cash<br />
it could use its<br />
cultural make interest movies and in the to English Heritage, admitted Project in an interview Pinewood on if<br />
Peel Acquisitions<br />
of these assets,<br />
ensure UK. Which that recording<br />
is why the Radio 4’s PM programme on given Tuesday, the February go-ahead. 23,<br />
is a newly offer for Pinewood which make such a<br />
considerable<br />
artists new for LA generations<br />
branch is an that talk of the studios being <strong>Media</strong>CityUK sold “concentrated has taken<br />
incorporated<br />
contribution to the<br />
to come important can continue step. to some minds” and resulted in shape the pending slowly and listing up to<br />
c o m p a n y earlier this year.”<br />
development<br />
growth of the UK’s<br />
make and Pinewood record music already in being confirmed.<br />
the middle of last year<br />
controlled by Peel<br />
creative industries,<br />
the same has representation<br />
rooms as musical know-how A spokeswoman and for English was looking Heritage like being told<br />
Group, the infrastructure and real will pass into safe hands.”<br />
icons in of Berlin, years gone Toronto, by”. me that Listed Status provided home “an to extra only layer the BBC of<br />
estate investment company that also Grade continued that the current<br />
muscle to push<br />
That and seemed Malaysia, to and be it. is protection”. She added that and while the this University doesn’t<br />
operates Peel <strong>Media</strong>, which runs the management of Pinewood has<br />
But keen examining to increase the its prohibit a change of use for the building there<br />
<strong>Media</strong>CityUK development.<br />
moved the business on, pumping in<br />
on with Project of Salford’s media<br />
chronology joint ventures of events and would be a “lot more scrutiny” courses. of an Now application. SIS and<br />
Peel already owns 29.7 percent of money to “re-establish it as a worldclass<br />
centre for all creative industries”.<br />
and operating other activity agreements just “But Pinewood…”<br />
it would probably be difficult Granada to Television find another are<br />
Pinewood and has been looking to<br />
before in different and during territories. this use for it,” she said. pledged to move in,<br />
take a majority stake in the group for While results for the year ended<br />
media Group roller Commercial coaster Director Abbey Nick Road’s with importance the first BBC programmes in the history of be<br />
at least the last year. The investment December 31, 2010, published<br />
raises Smith more said questions.<br />
the LA office “will recording build on is unquestionable. made there already Even on air. without The<br />
firm initially offered £88 million for the in March, show revenue up eight<br />
Cynical the international observers recognition of Beatles of the it would Film be a shrine and TV because has always Sir Edward been<br />
Pinewood group, which also includes percent to £43.4 million from<br />
the Pinewood music business brand”, are adding Elgar that “this and the a business, London Symphony but there’s Orchestra<br />
a nagging<br />
the film studios at Shepperton and £40.3m in 2009 and operating profit<br />
convinced strategic that development Abbey will recorded lead to Land thought of Hope that and if Glory Pinewood its Studio is owned 1,<br />
the Teddington TV production centre, increasing 20 percent to £9.1m<br />
Road more Studios business had been for the on group”. and Pink Floyd outright created by Dark an investment Side of the company<br />
Moon in<br />
as well as the site in Buckinghamshire. (£7.6m in 2009), the last few years<br />
the market Recent unofficially films shot for or Studios posted 2 and then 3. some of the eccentricities of<br />
That offer was reassessed after have not been trouble-free.<br />
years; recently all that at was Pinewood needed are the updated But Led Zeppelin’s British filmmaking groundbreaking will not first survive. album Of<br />
controversial Egyptian businessman The Hollywood writers’ strike,<br />
was Gulliver’s the right Travels, offer. starring Jack was Black, laid down course, at Olympic it’s those Studios, idiosyncrasies EMI’s other that<br />
Mohammed Fayed declared an which ran for three months from<br />
Like The Chronicles other big of record Narnia: The studio Voyage asset. of I probably didn’t hear partly Chris brought Evans it shout to a parlous when<br />
interest in buying Pinewood. November 2007, and delays in<br />
companies The Dawn Treader EMI and has Harry it Potter was closed and in state February in the 2009. first place. However, I like<br />
The former owner of Harrods and implementing the new UK tax<br />
been the struggling Deathly Hallows since Part 1. Some good to think has come that the out modern of this equivalent saga –<br />
present Chairman of Fulham Football breaks for film production seriously<br />
the late 1990s, hit hard the future of an of important the cast and artistic crew of resource a James in Bond the<br />
Club was reportedly considering affected the number of films passing<br />
by the Project downloading On Hold UK has been movie secured and – but a Carry some On suspect film sitting that<br />
making an all-cash offer for Pinewood through Pinewood and Shepperton.<br />
revolution There is and still the a considerable rise of a blot of on very murky together things at lunch have in gone the Pinewood on at the<br />
earlier this year.<br />
Budget cutbacks by broadcasters and<br />
lean all independent this, however. labels A central same part time. of ∫canteen can still happen today. ∫<br />
Peel’s latest approach, made on declining advertising revenues gave<br />
14 26 AUDIO MEDIA MARCH MAY 2011 2010