The iconic BBC Maida Vale Studios that helped launch the careers of many a musician has been listed for sale.
The Grade II listed property has been put on the market by commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) for a price in excess of £10,500,000.
In 2018 the BBC announced it was moving to new purpose-built studios in East Bank, Stratford in 2025.
Maida Vale's historic complex is one of the earliest recording studios to be established in Britain, designed to house the fast-developoing technology of sound for radio broadcast.
Originally built as a skating palace in 1909, it was converted into studios in 1933 and was used by artists including Led Zeppelin,Bob Marley, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Beyonce and the Beatles.
MV1 has been the home of the BBC's Symphony Orchestra, providing room for more than 150 musicians and an audience of more than 200.
In May 2020, Historic England designated it as a Grade II Listed Building - a status the BBC has failed to overturn to help the sale.
Theo Morgan, who was among those to ask Historic England to recommend Maida Vale Studios for listed status, said: “It’s sad to see that the BBC’s iconic Maida Vale Studios are up for sale. It will be the end of an era, but it would be wonderful if the building’s cultural heritage could be retained, perhaps by continuing to use it as a recording or broadcast facility. Residents will certainly be worried about any overdevelopment.”
The 83,447sqft of office and studio accommodation, includes seven recording studios over ground and lower-ground floors with the entire site extending to 1.35 acres.
LSH declined to comment on the sale but its brochure nods to a "potential refurbishment, repositioning or redevelopment opportunity with potential to increase massing of the existing building and/or redevelop the site (subject to planning)".
It lists a range of alternative uses including recording music or film studios, gallery or leisure use, and "private and affordable residential, commercial and affordable workspace" all "subject to the necessary planning consents".
Stephen Gilchrist, director of Brixton Hill Studios, said the sale "makes me sick to the pit of my stomach" and suggested the building be kept as a national heritage.
He added: "I've known Maida Vale Studios all my working life. I've done several radio sessions there. It's the kind of place that you can only get to work at through
public broadcasting.
"I've played there with high profile artists but I also did one of the last John Peel sessions with my band there. All the Peel sessions were done in studios four and five.
"It's an absolutely iconic studio and the fact it won't be there anymore is revolting."
He said studio 3 was the last place Bing Crosby performed, and was the venue for famous sessions by David Bowie.
"It's one of those places that is so important on every level of musical development. There would have been people who got to play their music on live radio.
They're just cutting it even further. There will be less live music on the radio, it will all be commercial, it won't be bands yet to prove themselves which is a really important thing.
"Maida Vale Studios is an important part of our musical heritage. The BBC is supposed to be second to none in terms of being a public broadcaster and having the finest place to perform and broadcast from. You get these things reduced to minimum and what seems like asset stripping is just heart breaking."
A BBC spokesperson said: “As we said in 2018, we are moving to new purpose-built studios in East Bank in 2025, alongside other world-class cultural institutions.
"Maida Vale has been a fantastic home for countless legendary performances and will always be an important part of our history.
"But we want to continue to build on our musical heritage and deliver outstanding music making for generations to come in a building that is fit for purpose and future proofed – one that is more sustainable, more efficient and more flexible, and one that provides important creative and regeneration opportunities to the local area in East London.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here