Maida Vale Studios, the historic London recording space known for its rich musical history, has been sold to legendary composer Hans Zimmer along with Working Title co-chairmen Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Zimmer’s business partner Steven Kofsky.
Since its acquisition by the BBC in 1933, Maida Vale Studios has hosted renowned artists like David Bowie, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin. With the BBC now planning to move their London studios to another location, Maida Vale’s four new owners aim to make sure its its legacy as a pioneering music center doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
The multi-million-pound refurbishment will “preserve the ethos” of the building and make it “future-proof,” keeping its stunning front facade in tact. The budget also includes plans for an educational facility and a long-term commitment to creating local jobs, ensuring it’s still a significant cultural presence in the community.
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“The first time I worked for the BBC at their Maida Vale Studios was 45 years ago,” Zimmer writes in a press release. “I was just a kid, in awe, honored to be booked to play on one of my first sessions… This was a place of revolutionary science in the service of art, this was a place that inspired you to give your best, where music was performed around the clock and art was taken seriously. For the people by the people. This was the place that kept a struggling musician like me from giving up.”
Meanwhile, the BBC plans to build new studios in East Bank, helping to establish the area as London’s new creative district.
