Written by on Mar 9, 2012. Posted in On Location

Spielberg and Cronenberg sign petition to save London’s Twickenham Studios

Steven Spielberg and David Cronenberg are among the names to have signed a petition to save Twickenham Studios in London. The studio went into administration in late February, despite having hosted War Horse and The Iron Lady over the past year.

Administrators have said the site isn’t likely to remain a studio and will probably become a ‘mixed-use’ property of offices and homes. The local council has become involved as well, writing a letter to the Government.

A change of use to mixed use will put further pressure on already stretched local amenities and would destroy a world-renowned institution.

Daniel Cormack, Filmmaker

Filmmaker Daniel Cormack spoke to the local Guardian news outlet: “A change of use to mixed use will put further pressure on already stretched local amenities and would destroy a world-renowned institution at a time when the government is actively seeking overseas investment in the British film industry and its facilities.”

Twickenham Studios were first opened in 1913 but in recent years had faced stiff competition from the likes of Pinewood. The local council doesn’t own the land the facility is built on, so central Government help will be needed to turn the petition into real action.

(War Horse image copyright: Andrew Cooper,SMPSP/DreamWorks.)