‘Highly desirable’ Riverside Studios put up for sale

The famous Riverside Studios site in Hammersmith has been put up for sale, after its operators went into administration earlier this month.

The London venue, which features a cinema and two performance studios, opened as an arts centre in 1976.

It was used by the BBC to record shows such as Doctor Who and Hancock's Half Hour.

READ MORE:

It closed for redevelopment in 2014, reopening in 2019 shortly before the pandemic.

The site also has two 'anchor' tenants: Sam’s Riverside restaurant and Riverside Television Studios Ltd.

'Unique opportunity'

Savills estate agents are handling the sale of the site for the administrators, Richard Lewis, Alistair Wardell and Oliver Haunch of Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Paul Breen, director in the licensed leisure team at Savills, said: "Riverside Studios presents a unique opportunity to acquire a long leasehold property in a highly desirable riverside location in West London."

He added: “It is a state of the art purpose-built facility with a uniquely central proposition in the arts and culture sector."

The Riverside Trust, which has been running the venue and called in the adminstrators due to debt issues associated with the recent redevelopment, has made clear its preference for continued charitable ownership of the venue.

The desire for Riverside Studios to remain a community asset has won support from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, as well as the local council.

Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, has said: "It is vital Riverside Studios remains a community arts hub and we will work with the administrators to make sure that happens."