Troubadour Theatres Pen Deal For Brand New Film and TV Production Site In Brent Cross Town

Leading performance venue group Troubadour Theatres, a supplier to the likes of Netflix, The National Theatre, the BBC and MTV, have today announced that a deal has been signed to create a brand new temporary state-of-the-art film and TV studio at Brent Cross Town in north London. The space, which is to be called Troubadour Brent Cross Studios, is set to be a hub of creative production and will open early 2022.

The deal secured includes a three-year lease on 150,000 square feet of space, (the former Toys 'R' Us building on Tilling Road), from Argent Related and Barnet Council - the joint venture delivering Brent Cross Town, London's 180-acre, £7bn new park town - marking the most significant tenancy to date at the development.

The news follows the opening of Troubadour's Meridian Water Studios in Enfield, a 155,000 square feet film and television studio complex with Enfield Council, which launched earlier this year. Troubadour's other venue, Wembley Park Theatre, is a fully-flexible cultural destination theatre and film studio, currently playing host to the award-winning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time. With these two sites, the group has housed theatre productions such as The National Theatre's War Horse and TV and film productions such as Marvel's Morbius, Danny Boyle's Yesterday, Little Mix: The Search for the BBC and The Grinch for NBC.

As with their other sites, Troubadour Brent Cross Studios will attract world-class TV productions and film houses to the area, providing a boost to the local economy and giving the area exposure to the dynamic international film and media sector. Troubadour will also set up a local Skills Academy - which will run in conjunction with Troubadour Meridian Water Studios - to enable opportunities for the local communities to be trained in the film and television industry and to help raise aspirations and improve diversity and employability.

The Skills Academy operating across all sites will provide over 500 training opportunities per annum, create between 150-450 employment and site opportunities, and build meaningful partnerships with local businesses and communities. At Troubadour Brent Cross Studios, an estimated 150 training opportunities are planned in the first three years which will have an immediate positive and demonstrable local impact.

The Skills Academy will be committed to ensuring that its doors remain open to students of genuine ability, no matter what their background or financial circumstances, either through bursaries, scholarships or apprenticeships. Troubadour's previous track records show that over 35% of employees come directly from the local community.

The new filming space includes offices and workshops on site, bringing an ecosystem of entertainment businesses and professionals with it. The space will house the largest single studio space (27,000 square feet) that Troubadour has created in London to date.

Brent Cross Town offers a strategic location for Troubadour with excellent existing transport networks allowing easy access to central London. Bringing Troubadour to the old Toys 'R' Us building means that it will be refurbished and fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment and recycled materials where possible, with an inventive reuse of the space - such as converting old storerooms into set and costume workshops and prop rooms.

Oliver Royds and Tristan Baker CEOs and Founders at Troubadour Theatres commented: "We are enormously excited about coming to Brent Cross Town and working together with the Barnet Council and Argent Related. We strongly believe that Troubadour Brent Cross Studios will quickly become an integral part of the community in the heart of an area going through huge regeneration. Our Skills Academy will create an immediate positive and demonstrable local impact that we hope will become a catalyst for employment within the Borough."

Helena MacKenzie from Film London said: "We are delighted that a great space such as this is being utilised for Film & television production. With no sign of production slowing down in London, its launch is very timely and we welcome the investment into this very accessible area of London. We look forward to working closely with all the partners not only to ensure continued first-class production in the capital but also assist with providing training & employment opportunities to the area as a result of this studio complex."

Nick Searl, Partner of Argent Related said: "Creating valuable opportunities so that the neighbourhood can benefit from Brent Cross Town in its early stages is a top priority as we deliver on our pledge of creating a town where all can flourish. Troubadour Theatres is a fantastic addition to the development, bringing with it new job and training opportunities in the dynamic international TV and film sector. Brent Cross Studios will provide a tangible boost to the local economy and will attract world-class TV productions and film houses."

Cllr Daniel Thomas, Leader of Barnet Council, said: "The opening of the Troubadour Theatres' Brent Cross Studios next year is another great example of how we are reviving this corner of Barnet and will transform the well-known Toys 'R' Us site. The vibrant offer presented by Troubadour will create exciting job and skills development opportunities for local people with a new training academy. It will also join the London North Studio in Mill Hill in supporting a growing sector across the borough by bringing a new network of film, television and other creative businesses and entertainment professionals to the area."