The mysterious buyer behind the rescue of Twickenham film studios has been revealed as London businessman Sunny Vohra, a property magnate and lifelong film fan. And though he has no prior experience in the film industry, Vohra has stressed that he has no plans to redevelop the studios - he wants them to keep on doing what they do best.
The news comes as a great relief to the campaigners who fought to save the studios, not least campaign coordinator Maria Walker, whose skill and dedication so impressed Vohra that he has made her head of studio operations. Walker, a post-production supervisor, describes herself as "extremely honoured" by the appointment. She acknowlrdges that there will be challenges ahead but hopes that her 30 years' experience will give her the insight she needs to overcome them.
Plans for the studio now include taking on new staff, which will give an important boost to the local economy, and improving production security. The technological side of the studios will also be improved, enhancing their capacity to attract lucrative post-production work.
Despite making losses in recent years, Twickenham's fortunes began to turn around when it succeeded in pulling in projects like War Horse and The Iron Lady. It is hoped that fresh investment can help it recover its long term viability.
