Welwyn Studios (Welwyn Garden City)

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Welwyn Studios was a British film studio located at Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. The facility operated between 1928 and 1950.

The studios were first constructed by British Instructional Films, and converted to make sound films shortly afterwards. The studios were later taken over by British International Pictures (from 1933, the Associated British Picture Corporation) who used them as the base for production of the company's supporting features as well as an overflow facility for the main complex at Elstree Studios. A number of films were also made there by independent companies.

From The Welwyn and Hatfield Times:

End of the reel for landmark building
12 December 2007

The site being cleared away.
A BUILDING which played a central role in WGC's history has been demolished.

What used to be the British Instructional Films Studio, in Broadwater Road, has been knocked down by current landowners, Tesco.

As a studio it served as a set to more than 70 films, including I Live in Grosevenor Square, Double Error and the 1933 hit I Was a Spy.

In some of these films, WGC residents were used as extras and stars from the movies could also be spotted in the Cherry Tree pub during their breaks.

The listed Roche building
Opened in November 1928, it played quite a large role in the town - both as an employer and as a landmark for the Broadwater area.

The studios closed in 1950 and the site was then occupied by DIY manufacturers Polycell.

Tesco, which now owns a massive chunk of the land around Broadwater Road, had originally planned back in July to demolish all the disused factories in the area within three weeks, as reported in the WHT.

However, the supermarket giant had yet to knock anything down until last month.

The site being cleared away.
Tesco spokesman Michael Kissman said it was unlikely the company would be able to build a supermarket on the land, as the area was not allocated for retail use in Welwyn Hatfield Council's district plan.

A council spokeswoman said that the studios, contrary to residents' belief, were not listed and there was, therefore, no reason to prevent demolition.

"Only the former Roche administration block is listed, none of the other buildings on the site are listed.