Riverside Studios needs £500K within days to contend with ‘eye-watering’ energy bills

By Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter

The plight of an iconic London arts venue, which is preparing to enter administration, has been described as “heartbreaking” by Sadiq Khan.

The Mayor of London said his team at City Hall were working to rescue the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, which announced last week that it had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

The venue, located on the site of a former Victorian iron works, had been used as a film studio since the early 1930s and by the BBC from 1954 to 1974, including for Hancock’s Half Hour and Doctor Who.

For the last 45 years, it has served as an arts centre.

But the venue’s trust said it was now facing “eye-watering” energy bills, on top of the debt incurred by its recent redevelopment.

Mr Khan said: “It’s heartbreaking. Anybody who knows London’s cultural history knows the importance of the Riverside Studios, so we’re working closely with the local council and those who are looking into the administration of the Riverside Studios to see what we can do to rescue this really important asset.

“The Culture at Risk team at City Hall has been working with groups across the city over the last few years. We’ve managed to save more than 800 groups over the last few years and, fingers crossed, we can work with the Riverside Studios’ people.”

A spokesman for the venue said: “Riverside Studios have been working closely with the team at City Hall who have been extremely supportive.

“Lines of communication remain open and we continue to work to achieve the very best solution for Riverside and its audiences.”

The venue’s chief executives had said last week that an immediate cash injection of £500,000, with a commitment of a further £750,000 over the next few months, was required in order to avoid going into administration – but that they only had a matter of days to find that money.

The trust has said it intends to continue business as usual while it enters administration, with all scheduled events to continue as normal and no cancellations announced so far. Events have been scheduled as far as August 19.

The trustees have stated a preference for continued charitable ownership.

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.”

Pictured top: Riverside Studios, pictured from Hammersmith Bridge (Picture: Google Street View)