U.K.'s Twickenham Film Studios Changes Hands But Not Ambitions

LONDON – Twickenham Film Studios is to continue as an active film and television facility after a rocky few months which saw the site threatened with closure after administrators moved in.

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The acquisition of the studio site, in the south west of the British capital which famously housed the shoots for the Beatles films, Blade Runner and War Horse has completed.

Twickenham Studios managing director Sunny Vohra, who led the acquisition announced the completion of the acquisition.

The new owners have appointed Maria Walker to the newly-created role of chief operating office for TFS.

Walker is a post-production supervisor who has a long-standing association with the studio stretching back nearly thirty years.

She recently spearheaded the "Save Twickenham Studios" campaign.

That campaign saw the local community and leading industry figures -- Steven Spielberg, Paul McCartney and Colin Firth signed a petition – unite to keep the Studios active.

"The recent press, industry and public interest in the Studios has shown how important the Studios are to the industry and to the borough of Richmond and local community," Walker said. "It is our intention to work closely with all parties to provide a facility that enhances the local area.”

The new owners have pledged to work with existing staff and management to plan the refurbishments and improvements at the Studios.

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Services and technology will be upgraded and investment in staffing at the studios are also pledged.

Walker's resume boasts Twickenham based projects including In America, The Count of Monte Cristo and most recently Fast Girls.

There had been plans to demolish the 99-year-old building and redevelop the site to make way for housing.

More recently, scenes from Spielberg's War Horse were filmed there as well as My Week With Marilyn, while The Iron Lady used its post-production facilities.