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A former member
From tonight's Newcastle Evening Chronicle
TV firm Tyne Tees is looking at moving from its historic Newcastle studios, bosses have admitted.
They have stressed that no "For sale" signs have been put up at the building, on City Road.
But they said they have had valuations done and if the price was right then they would consider moving to smaller premises.
The Quayside studios have been used by Tyne Tees since transmission began on January 15, 1959.
Two old furniture warehouses were stripped bare to leave a 400,000 sq ft shell of a building which, over six months, was transformed into a state-of-the-art purpose-built studio.
The total cost of equipping the studios with the latest cameras and microphones was a then-staggering £250,000.
At 5pm chief announcer Adrian Cairns introduced the new station to the North East, and over the years the studios broadcast hundreds of shows, from Jimmy Saville's first series, Young at Heart, to cult children's caper Supergran.
But in recent years the industry has been hit by cost-cutting, and the City Road studios are in a much sought-after area of the city.
Recent valuations have pricked the interest of developers.
The Chronicle understands that bosses have been invited to look at alternative sites in and around Newcastle and Gateshead.
A Tyne Tees source said: "We know that with the merger it is probable the studio will be sold and we will be moved. I think it is something they have been thinking about for the last 20 years but this time it will actually happen.
"It would be a shame to lose such a central location where you are in the middle of everything, but there could be advantages as the studios we use at the moment are very old."
A company spokesman said: "We have had valuations on the City Road site in the same way he have had valuations on the site for the last six years.
"The staff are aware of the review to see whether the site is worth enough to trigger a move to a more purpose-built development.
"But we must stress there are no `For sale' signs on the building and we are in the same position now that we've been in since 1997 - i.e. we will see if the sums add up to warrant a possible move."
Tyne Tees was bought by Granada in 1997 for £711 million, and Granada is planning to merge with Carlton to create one single ITV company.
...suppose it was only a matter of time
Quote:
TV firm Tyne Tees is looking at moving from its historic Newcastle studios, bosses have admitted.
They have stressed that no "For sale" signs have been put up at the building, on City Road.
But they said they have had valuations done and if the price was right then they would consider moving to smaller premises.
The Quayside studios have been used by Tyne Tees since transmission began on January 15, 1959.
Two old furniture warehouses were stripped bare to leave a 400,000 sq ft shell of a building which, over six months, was transformed into a state-of-the-art purpose-built studio.
The total cost of equipping the studios with the latest cameras and microphones was a then-staggering £250,000.
At 5pm chief announcer Adrian Cairns introduced the new station to the North East, and over the years the studios broadcast hundreds of shows, from Jimmy Saville's first series, Young at Heart, to cult children's caper Supergran.
But in recent years the industry has been hit by cost-cutting, and the City Road studios are in a much sought-after area of the city.
Recent valuations have pricked the interest of developers.
The Chronicle understands that bosses have been invited to look at alternative sites in and around Newcastle and Gateshead.
A Tyne Tees source said: "We know that with the merger it is probable the studio will be sold and we will be moved. I think it is something they have been thinking about for the last 20 years but this time it will actually happen.
"It would be a shame to lose such a central location where you are in the middle of everything, but there could be advantages as the studios we use at the moment are very old."
A company spokesman said: "We have had valuations on the City Road site in the same way he have had valuations on the site for the last six years.
"The staff are aware of the review to see whether the site is worth enough to trigger a move to a more purpose-built development.
"But we must stress there are no `For sale' signs on the building and we are in the same position now that we've been in since 1997 - i.e. we will see if the sums add up to warrant a possible move."
Tyne Tees was bought by Granada in 1997 for £711 million, and Granada is planning to merge with Carlton to create one single ITV company.
...suppose it was only a matter of time