BBC Maida Vale Studios: Grade II listed British music landmark put on the property market for £10.5 million
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It’s been an institution for both British and international music since it was converted from an ice rink in 1933, but the hallowed hallways of Maida Vale Studios in London have been put on the property market. The commercial estate agency Lambert Smith Hampton has undertaken the listing with an asking price of £10.5 million.
The sale comes after the BBC announced that they would be moving their recording operations to a purpose-built studio in East Bank, Stratford in 2025, with current residents the BBC Symphony Orchestra packing their belongings and moving out of MV1 before then. The studios however have become a major part of British musical history, with many music historians saddened by the listing.
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Hide AdThankfully, the Grade II listed status of the building means that the outside of the iconic studios will remain intact; a status that the BBC had fought and lost back in 2020 when news spread of Maida Vale becoming apartments. However the interior to the studio is still fair game, with Lambert Smith Hampton advertising among the many possibilities for the property a “private and affordable residential, commercial and affordable workspace subject to the necessary planning consents."
Many have called for Maida Vale Studios, which has seen the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and Beyonce, to become a heritage site given its significance to British culture. It was at Maida Vale that the late Bing Crosby made his last recordings, alongside numerous sessions from late BBC DJ John Peel.
Theo Morgan of Historic England said “it’s sad to see that the BBC’s iconic Maida Vale Studios are up for sale. It will be the end of an era, but it would be wonderful if the building’s cultural heritage could be retained, perhaps by continuing to use it as a recording or broadcast facility. Residents will certainly be worried about any overdevelopment.”
The BBC responded to the news of the property listing, clarifying “as we said in 2018, we are moving to new purpose-built studios in the East Bank in 2025, alongside other world-class cultural institutions. Maida Vale has been a fantastic home for countless legendary performances and will always be an important part of our history.”
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Hide Ad"But we want to continue to build on our musical heritage and deliver outstanding music making for generations to come in a building that is fit for purpose and future proofed – one that is more sustainable, more efficient and more flexible, and one that provides important creative and regeneration opportunities to the local area in East London.”
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