The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council is to jointly fund the redevelopment of Glasgow's Kelvin Hall for a new £11.9 million television studio.

The 10,500 sq ft studio will be operated by BBC Studioworks, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC providing studios and post-production services to companies including the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and Netflix.

The Scottish Government has supported an increase in studio infrastructure in Scotland and Kelvin Hall is the latest addition to a range of studio space being used by film and high-end television production.

Kelvin Hall in Glasgow's west end, will become the Scottish hub for major TV broadcasters and production companies and will help meet the growing demand for TV shows in Scotland when it opens next autumn.

As well as fuelling the growth of the sector, Kelvin Hall is expected to boost local jobs and support the development of a skilled and diverse Scottish workforce. Through their Across the UK Strategy, the BBC is expected to spend an extra £700m cumulatively across the UK by 2027/28.

-- Advertisement --

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson said: "Our level of investment in Kelvin Hall, £7.9m, reflects the confidence we have in our fast-growing screen industries. There is unprecedented interest in Scotland as a production hub and Kelvin Hall will be a welcome addition to the growing range of studio space being used by film and television productions.

"We are working with partners to maximise the opportunities offered by the studio to develop expertise in the entertainment genre and build on existing skills and training schemes to further develop a sustainable creative economy."

Andrew Moultrie, CEO BBC Studioworks said:"We're thrilled to have been appointed as the operator of this new facility in Glasgow, providing much needed purpose-built studio space in Scotland and meeting growing industry demand to produce there.

"Drawing on our decades of expertise and unrivalled customer service, we will help grow the local workforce to deliver more local productions and support the continued development of sector-specific skills in Scotland."

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "Today's announcement that BBC Studioworks will be the tenant operator of the Kelvin Hall is fantastic news for the city. BBC Studioworks will draw on their wealth of experience in the industry to develop Kelvin Hall as an important and attractive film and television location, continuing Glasgow's rise in this sector.

"The Kelvin Hall will be a nationally significant production facility that will enable productions and jobs to stay and grow in the city, further driving the development of our thriving creative industries, and adding to Glasgow's economic growth."