BBC icon for sale?

Television Centre in West London is the iconic BBC headquarters familiar to any British TV watcher. But now rumours of an impending sale are circulating. Counter rumours of the corporation not receiving high enough bids for the property also abound.

In an ongoing effort to reduce costs and ‘rationalise’ its portfolio of properties have been on the table for more than a year. The instantly recognisable sixties structure on Wood Lane has come to signify the BBC.

Television Centre was due to be sold off as part of a larger sale many BBC recourses. The Beeb’s commercial subsidiary is in control of the sale of assets that include its post production facilities and outside broadcast studios.

Now it seems that there may be internal discussions going on within the BBC aimed at keeping the building within ‘aunties’ family. But the sale of other assets is said to be going forward, this rumour claims that the building will now be removed from the sale’s list of properties.

The BBC now believes that the land in the sought after Shepherds Bush area of London will rise in value significantly in the foreseeable future. And that all the bids for the property so far had been disappointing.

The building is home to o0ver 350 staff members, although it is thought that even if the sale does happen these jobs will not be threatened.

The building has long been at the heart of the beebs production and broadcasting operations, it is also home to the big bosses of the corporation known as the ‘controllers’.

Staff are already slated to move to other BBC locations including the new Media City complex in Salford, Manchester.

Due to conduction methods used during the sixties the building is heavily laced with asbestos that may make the building more suitable for demolition rather than refurbishment. And may be forced into demolishment within four years whatever the BBC decides about its future.

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