Author Topic: RIP TV Centre. (Read 1737 times)

Arch · « **on:** 22 March, 2013, 08:41:56 pm »

...London W12 8QT. (well, it was in my day)

A big part of my childhood is closing tonight.

Are they knocking it down? I'm sad if I'll never get round to seeing it for real.

Jaded · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 March, 2013, 09:03:00 pm »

I believe it is going to be an assessment centre for asylum seekers.

Illegal Combat Ant · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 March, 2013, 09:27:04 pm »

Will that be bogus asylum seekers?

Kim · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 March, 2013, 11:34:55 pm »

Renting it out to Endemol is what I'd heard. Which might be the same thing...

redshift · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 March, 2013, 09:52:38 am »

Partial redevelopment to flats and hotel, three studios to be refurbished. Also some 'open to the public' stuff - TC1 I think.

Arch · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 March, 2013, 09:55:12 am »

Yes, I eventually tracked the plans down, in a locked filing cabinet etc...

So, I can still go and see it. Someday.

I past within sight of MediaCity UK every time I get the tram up to MFWHTBAB's, but it's not the same....

andrewc · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 March, 2013, 10:00:40 am »

The other address that sticks in my mind from childhood TV is "Thames, Teddington Lock,Middlesex". Repeated at the end of each edition of Magpie.

Jaded · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 March, 2013, 10:01:49 am »

MediaCity looks like an expo site after the expo has finished.

redshift · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 March, 2013, 10:40:16 am »

Quote from: Jaded on 23 March, 2013, 10:01:49 am

MediaCity looks like an expo site after the expo has finished.

True. It's also one hell of a wind tunnel, the engine room's REALLY LOUD, and I'd prefer less concrete'n'glass, and a bit more greenery. Mind you, it's not like TC was any prettier, and it had the disadvantage of being in that shithole called London.

It is a shame the design of the TC doughnut didn't translate north though. The physical layout of the service road and studios was a work of art, and hasn't really dated. The Quays has one road in and one road out, so logistics (load-in, load-out etc) for MCUK is interesting.

The studios are bloody busy though. This past week alone we've had Dragons' Den, Countdown mashup, Kyle, MOTD 1 + 2, DNN pilot, Blue Peter, Uni Challenge prep for next week, Football Focus and Final Score, CBeebies and CBBC presentation. The Voice auditions were recorded before xmas.

clarion · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 March, 2013, 11:02:55 am »

Quote from: redshift on 23 March, 2013, 10:40:16 am

It is a shame the design of the TC doughnut didn't translate north though. The physical layout of the service road and studios was a work of art, and hasn't really dated. The Quays has one road in and one road out, so logistics (load-in, load-out etc) for MCUK is interesting.

Oh good grief, did they not sort that out? it was highlighted as an issue for the Quays when I was working in Salford, before the BBC plans were announced, and it was said there would be improved access.

redshift · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 March, 2013, 11:30:46 am »

Entry is via Broadway, turn parallel to the canal towards 9 dock, then left into the road that runs behind the studios, which is one-way. Lorries have to reverse into the loading bay between the two buildings here:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=53.473358,-2.300493&spn=0.002139,0.004388&t=h&z=18

They can then exit towards the top right and back to Broadway.

Whilst they don't actually have to use Quays Road, the lines are narrow, and if you're loading in/out on more than one show you need good organisation. There's no scene dock as such, either.

clarion · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 March, 2013, 12:04:21 pm »

Logistical headscratcher.

Valiant · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 March, 2013, 02:21:28 am »

I really don't like MC. It has no soul like TC did. I remember the first time I went to TC in my early 20s and being mesmerised by all the stars, the activity and then walking around the corridors. Much the same experience when I worked there. I haven't spent much time in MC in comparison but I did have a fun day out with several very large stacks of speakers to see how sound traveled around the area. It was the first time we were asked to break the 150db barrier lol.

LEE · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 March, 2013, 04:21:29 pm »

Quote from: Valiant on 25 March, 2013, 02:21:28 am

I remember the first time I went to TC in my early 20s and being mesmerised by all the stars

Show me on the doll where they touched you

bobb · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 March, 2013, 09:34:41 am »

Quote from: Arch on 22 March, 2013, 08:41:56 pm

...London W12 8QT. (well, it was in my day)

Funny how you remember those things. 01 811 8055!

Russell · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 March, 2013, 05:00:06 pm »

I'm at TC tomorrow to strip out one of the remaining studios so the worthwhile kit can be reinstalled in Elstree.

The studios at MCUK are not really BBC, they are owned by Peel Media, but the BBC use them fairly exclusively. Breakfast, Sport and Children's in Quay, Bridge and Dock Houses are true BBC buildings but they are not really studios more like presentation areas.

redshift · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 March, 2013, 07:20:42 pm »

Quote from: Russell on 26 March, 2013, 05:00:06 pm

The studios at MCUK are not really BBC, they are owned by Peel Media, but the BBC use them fairly exclusively. Breakfast, Sport and Children's in Quay, Bridge and Dock Houses are true BBC buildings but they are not really studios more like presentation areas.

One big problem is that people think they're the Beeb's studios. Even the Radio Times has published stuff like 'from our new studios in Salford' when in fact the show was shot at dock10. MOTD, Football Focus, Final Score, CBBC Pres, Newsround, CBeebies Pres, Blue Peter, Mr Bloom's, Justin's House etc. are all from the dock10 studios, hired in the same way that ITV are hiring studio space to do Kyle, Countdown and Uni Challenge, the same way that Shine or Endemol or anyone else might hire from us. The Beeb have contracts to use them, but not exclusively - and they're not our only customer by a long way.

I finally watched the BBC4 show from the other day - I thought Wogan and a few of the other shows mentioned actually came from the Television Theatre at Shepherd's Bush, or from Lime Grove, but I suppose that might have been splitting hairs.

Arch · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 March, 2013, 08:12:19 pm »

Quote from: bobb on 26 March, 2013, 09:34:41 am

Quote from: Arch on 22 March, 2013, 08:41:56 pm
...London W12 8QT. (well, it was in my day)

Funny how you remember those things. 01 811 8055!

But remember, they always read it out as "01, if you're outside London, 811 8055..."

clarion · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 March, 2013, 09:32:22 pm »

Which. Most. People. Sodding. Were.

Arch · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 March, 2013, 09:44:47 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 26 March, 2013, 09:32:22 pm

Which. Most. People. Sodding. Were.

Well, to be fair, wherever the programme was made, most people would live outside it.

I guess people needed to be reminded about area codes, because if people (especially kids) mostly only made local calls they perhaps weren't so used to codes. Nowadays, nearly everyone uses mobiles, so have to use codes whether local or not.

Jaded · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 March, 2013, 09:55:28 pm »

Quote from: Arch on 26 March, 2013, 09:44:47 pm

Well, to be fair, wherever the programme was made, most people would live outside it.

Indeed, and London would be the place where the fewest people live outside it.

clarion · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 March, 2013, 07:07:35 am »

Should have given the whole number, and then mentioned that you could miss off the 01 if you live in London. Always annoyed me, that. Bloody London-centrism. Bet if it were made pop north, they wouldn't have said '0532, if you're outside Leeds'...

Morrisette · « **Reply #22 on:** 27 March, 2013, 09:05:44 am »

Oh yes! And it's Goodbye to Northern Ireland....what DID they get on their TV over there that meant they had to leave the Broomcupboard 30 seconds before the rest of us?

Arch · « **Reply #23 on:** 29 March, 2013, 07:33:59 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 27 March, 2013, 07:07:35 am

Should have given the whole number, and then mentioned that you could miss off the 01 if you live in London. Always annoyed me, that. Bloody London-centrism. Bet if it were made pop north, they wouldn't have said '0532, if you're outside Leeds'...

I don't think that's the case. It's much simpler to say it the way they did. Giving the whole number and then "but if you live in London... etc" is clumsy. In TV, time and smooth wording matter.

I never felt at all alienated, and I bet I was further from London than you were. I had sea in the way.

Morrisette, I can't tell you I'm afraid, by the time the Broomcupboard was on we were back on the Mainland. I was never aware of our schedule in NI being different. In fact, until we moved back to England, I thought everyone got half an hour of general news, and then half an hour of news about NI. I didn't realise each region had its own news. I guess there was so much news about NI anyway, I assumed everyone wanted more. Funny what you grow up thinking is normal...

Kim · « **Reply #24 on:** 29 March, 2013, 11:16:12 pm »

Growing up in the South-East, the regional news was largely indistinguishable from the national news. The main difference was slightly more detailed coverage of whatever natural disaster had affected Kent that week. We grew up thinking that Kent was a cool place where all the interesting stuff happened.

Author Topic: RIP TV Centre. (Read 1737 times)

LEE