Liverpool's new film and high-end TV studios have opened for business in a move hoped to provide a multi-million pound boost to the city's economy.
The Depot consists of two purpose-built, 20,000sq ft sound-proofed film and TV production units - "giving Liverpool the complete package for film producers" - and taking the city a step closer to becoming the 'Hollywood of the North'.
The news comes on the same day as Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announces an extra £1m for the Liverpool City Region's film industry following the success of hit TV dramas Time and Help.
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It also comes as Liverpool, the second most filmed city in the UK, experiences the busiest period for film and TV production on record - despite the pandemic.
Speaking as the major facility opened, Lynn Saunders, head of Liverpool Film Office, which is overseeing management of the space, said: “We’ve been campaigning for studio space since before Samuel L Jackson was running round the city in a kilt.
“Over those years we’ve gotten very creative around providing alternatives to productions who need more than our region’s locations – but to now be able to actually show off two enormous purpose-built structures, that will be filled with crews and stars, filmmakers can really unleash all their creativity in Liverpool.
“For us it’s more than a space for sets, it’s an opportunity to build a production hub in the city region, where we can embed the local filming infrastructure network and develop training opportunities to future-proof Liverpool’s prime position in the industry.”
Favoured by filmmakers for doubling locations as New York and London, The Depot is seen as a "key piece" of the jigsaw in retaining productions within the region for longer.
LFO said it aims to find productions to employ local crew and work with local businesses to form training initiatives - developing and strengthening the local talent pool.
It is predicted The Depot, which was built by Morgan Sindall for Liverpool City Council, will have a £24m economic boost for the regional economy, creating 360 new jobs and 760 indirect jobs.
Situated adjacent to the future Littlewoods Studios site, The Depot is seen as "critical" to Liverpool’s strategy to becoming one of Europe’s premier film and TV production hubs.
The city is currently hosting productions such as Sky’s Funny Girl starring Gemma Arterton and Channel 4’s The Curse from the team behind People Just Do Nothing, as well as recently investing and supporting Channel 4’s Help starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram also announced today that he is to pump a further £1m into high-end TV and film productions in the Liverpool City Region following the success of hit dramas.
Jimmy McGovern’s prison mini-series Time, starring Stephen Graham and Sean Bean, was one of six TV productions supported by £1.78m from the Metro Mayor’s City Region Production Fund.
Forecasts show the fund, which is managed by LFO, generated £12m of spending in the city region and led to 455 full-time jobs.
Mayor Rotheram said: "Our region is a vibrant, innovative hub of creativity and talent. Because of devolution, we’re able to target funding to help protect it through difficult periods like the pandemic, and to help it grow and flourish in ordinary times.
“Our heritage, architecture, talent and people mean that we will always be able to attract film and TV productions from across the globe.
"These funds have been particularly satisfying because they have been able to nurture local projects, promote local writers, directors and actors and showcase them to the rest of the country.
“We have got ambitious plans to help make our region the ‘Hollywood of the North’, with £17m already invested to develop film studios at Littlewoods, which help us cater to productions from writing and filming, right the way through to editing and post-production.”
