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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 31 December 2008

The Spice Girls

Music studio fades out for the last time

Banks blamed for not helping small businesses

FROM Radiohead to the Spice Girls, Blondie to Leona Lewis – all have sung their hearts out into the microphones at the Mayfair Studios in Primrose Hill.
But this month the hit music factory in Sharpeshall Street switched off its amps and mixing desks for the last time – after running into financial troubles.
John and Kate Hudson, who had run the studios for more than 30 years, sought a buyer for their premises early this year.
But the financial downturn has meant the former warehouse-turned-music studio is now silent.
Mr Hudson said: “On Monday this week our administrator evicted us and our clients from the premises.
“It was a fairly unpleasant experience, especially for our clients to whom we owe so much.”
And he was stinging in his criticism of how small businesses were being helped through the recession.
He said: “This is the result of two years of struggling with the banks and the administrator. Basically this is just the banks getting rid of small businesses.
“Why lend £150,000 to guys like us when they can lend £1billion to some big company who can lose all of it for them?”
But he added they would be back.
“We have plans afoot to re-open the studios in 2009,” Mr Hudson said.
“This requires lots of negotiations but may well end up being a great deal for the studios and the clients, who love the place so much.
“The staff have been laid off but we are constantly in touch and will not hesitate to get the old team back together as soon as possible.”

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