Re:Anglia's Magdalen Street studios to close
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Knightmare was filmed at Anglia TV's Magdalen Street studios, which is to close.
From MediaGuardian.co.uk
Anglia cuts jobs after Ofcom ruling
Dominic Timms
Friday May 20, 2005
ITV's Anglia network is to axe close to 50 staff in Norwich following media regulator Ofcom's decision to allow the channel to reduce its local non-news programming by 50%.
Anglia said it was cutting 46 posts and disposing of its Magdalen Street studio in Norwich as a result of the cuts and the subsequent decision by ITV to outsource its regional peak time output.
In an email to staff, the Anglia managing director, Graham Creelman, said the decision was "regrettable but inevitable in the light of the Ofcom decision".
Describing the restructuring as "painful," he said the cuts would fall across the company's programming , technical, studios, technology and finance departments, with 26 posts being axed in its regional programming unit.
As part of the restructuring the company will move out of its current site, concentrating staff in its city centre headquarters where it plans a new £5m newsroom.
Anglia said it was talking to prospective buyers for its Magdalen Street studio, which will be mothballed.
"This is regrettable but inevitable in the light of the Ofcom decision to allow ITV to reduce its non-news regional programming from three hours to one-and-a half hours a week; an internal review of our technical capacity and the now long-term absence of work for the Magdalen Street studio," Mr Creelman told staff.
Anglia said it expected most of the job losses to be voluntary and anticipated that "many of those leaving will be re-employed within the region's growing independent production community".
After lobbying by ITV the media regulator announced in February that it would allow the channel to reduce its local non-news programming hours by half.
In support of its decision, Ofcom said non-news regional shows were considered a "lower priority to viewers than other aspects of public service broadcasting", and therefore it was "hard to sustain" arguments requiring ITV to continue to invest in this type of programming.
Unions described the decision as the "death blow to regional programming across the country", warning it would put up to 300 jobs at risk.
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It's another example of how ITV has gone downhill in recent years.
Since Carlton and Granada (who own/owned Anglia) merged the whole system has gone downhill. And like Television Centre in Southampton (formerly Southern, TVS & Meridian), and Television House in Nottingham (Central), it's very sad to hear another special studio complex in Magdalen Street is being sold off for ITV plc's interest. -
I think the plan is that by 2012 they will only have 3 main studio locations. I think these are Manchester, Birmingham, and London.
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I was wondering if anyone has been to Norwich lately and seen the Anglia studios..
If so, I wondered if they've closed down yet, and if so what's being done with the place at the moment.
I wonder what's happened/happening to the Knightmare award in the cabinet...
Liam.
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I think the Magdalen Street studios (where Knightmare was filmed) have been closed down now (thanks to ITV plc >:(). Anglia News/Anglia Tonight were based at those studios but have now relocated back to their original home at Anglia House (which was open even while Magdalen Street was).
Hope that helps.
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Well, the Manchester studios are going to be knocked down so bang goes your theory, The Brollachan!
A lot can and probably has happenned since May 2005 when I made the post, which if I recall was based on a MediaGuardian article or similar. With these forums it's always best to note the date (and year) posts were made.
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I think you've misunderstood. The restructuring doesn't mean every single unused television studio(s) is going to be closed down and demolished. It's only the ITV regional locations that are/have been scaled down. There are many filming locations of a private concern.
Edit: While we're on the subject of manchester studios. Last I heard this was merely a rumor. There are still productions filmed at the granana studios (ie coronation street) and ITV aren't keen to move such sets if they can help it. But there was talk of moving all such productions to salford's new mediacity project. Having said that, part of the site is already up for new development
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Could anyone have predicted in 2006 that the Magdalen Street studios would rise again (as EPIC Norwich) and play host to Knightmare filming once more, not to mention a Knightmare convention?
A happy ending for the building, then, but not so much for Magdalen Street. In the past two months alone, it's seen a stabbing and an arson attack. It's sad that the fake Knightmare violence has been replaced by real violence. And today we have reports of a double shooting in the Norfolk village of Magdalen, which presumably gave the street its name. It's all very troubling.
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We could film Knightmare in Glasgow if you want to make a new series of it. Are you with us ITV? or would you rather we take over Glasgow and do it ourself?
Think my near consent dreams about Knightmare is because i want it to come back as i missed it first time around.
There's a art galley in Glasgow and a disused shop we could use.
Or take over the old studio.
Well that's location sorted.
Now we need cast and costumes.
Tom Bell as Lord Fear or Lord Fear's younger brother Haveno.
Just a thought....... What do you think guys?
Any thoughts? Sorry for going on a bit of tangent there. I had an idea.
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Could anyone have predicted in 2006 that the Magdalen Street studios would rise again (as EPIC Norwich) and play host to Knightmare filming once more, not to mention a Knightmare convention?
A happy ending for the building, then, but not so much for Magdalen Street. In the past two months alone, it's seen a stabbing and an arson attack. It's sad that the fake Knightmare violence has been replaced by real violence. And today we have reports of a double shooting in the Norfolk village of Magdalen, which presumably gave the street its name. It's all very troubling.
Real violence is awful. I felt sorry for that poor priest that was murdered by thugs in france when that story broke. Poor old guy. He must have been so scared.
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