Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg, Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Paul McCartney all lent their support to the campaign to save Twickenham Film Studios and today it became clear that the effort was a success. A mystery buyer has stepped forward to save the studios from closure, to the relief of local residents and film enthusiasts across Britain.
The studios, responsible for classics like Gandhi and The Italian Job as well as recent hits like War Horse and The Iron Lady, had been running at a loss for some time when, in February, it was announced that they would have to close. As well as threatening hundreds of local jobs, this would have deprived the British film industry of one of its major assets and would almost inevitably have led to more productions moving abroad.
Previous interest in the site had come from developers wanting to tear down the studio to build houses, also a concern for local residents, who said the infrastructure in the area could not support the increased population. Although it is understood that the new buyer plans to keep the studio afloat, there is still some concern as their identity will not be revealed until the deal is finalised later this year.
