Cities submit Channel 4 bids
Several cities across the North are in the running to be the new home for Channel 4.
Leeds City Region and Sheffield have today submitted bids to Channel 4 for the broadcasters’ new National HQ outside of London. Leeds and Sheffield are the two Yorkshire cities vying for Channel 4. Both Liverpool and Manchester are also hoping to bring the broadcaster to the region.
Leeds City Region’s bid, which responds to the broadcaster’s “4 All the UK” plan to support investment and jobs outside London, highlights themes including the region’s pool of young, diverse, creative and digitally-savvy talent.
The document also highlights the opportunity the investment would provide in addressing the imbalance in creative sector investment currently focused on London and the western side of the UK.
Independent filmmaker Suman Hanif said: “’I am very excited about the possibility of Channel 4’s relocation to the Leeds City Region, which is blessed with fascinating cultures, diversity and talents that are worth being discovered and showcased.
“The region has the perfect balance of modern innovations and well-maintained heritage. I am confident that Channel 4’s relocation would bridge so many of the gaps that come in the way of young ambitious filmmakers in the North.”
Last month, Sheffield said it was ‘confident’ of its bid. The deadline for all interested local authorities to bid for the broadcaster is today, 11 May.
Today Sheffield will host an event to mark the submission of the bid. Sheffield City Council said: “If Channel Four were a city it would be Sheffield. And at the heart of the city’s bid are the locations just minutes away from the Midland Railway Station that could provide a new home for the broadcaster.”
They include a potential home at the iconic Park Hill development as well as space at the city’s Digital Campus close to the station. Three options have been identified – a refurbishment, new build or so-called hipster hangout.
Sheffield is also putting diversity and a network of digital and hi-tech businesses – best demonstrated by the recent announcement of a new £3m Tech hub at Castlegate – at the heart of its bid to Channel 4.
The city now supports more than 22,000 digital jobs with a digital GVA of £339m. Bid chair Richard Caborn said: “Sheffield is presenting a compelling case for Channel 4. The expertise and digital know-how which runs from Kelham to the railway station is unrivalled. Our cultural offerings such as Doc/Fest and Warp are world-renowned.
“We can offer a connectivity and closeness to talent and skills that few others can. We have Hallam and the UTC on our doorstep. All the sites identified can be reached on foot within minutes. And we have the spirit and independence that should remind Channel 4 of its own beginnings as a truly ground-breaking broadcasting force.”
Channel 4 will be notifying all of the shortlisted bids at the end of May. Further presentations to Channel 4 will be held in June. The process is due to be completed and the successful bids notified in October 2018.
Roger Marsh, chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, added: “Opportunities such as this – ones which can truly transform a sector and impact on the lives of everyone who lives here – only come once in a lifetime. I believe firmly that our bid highlights the strength of our creative sector and the unique modern British voice that our young, diverse, creative and digital native population offers to the broadcaster.”
Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Leeds has a growing reputation as a leading hub for the digital sector. Our bid to Channel 4 highlights our strengths and reaffirms our commitment to work with the broadcaster to provide opportunities for people who live and work across the region.”
Channel 4 say the new national headquarters must be based in a city with a working population of more than 200,000, travel time to London of less than three hours and a high-level of physical and digital connectivity and infrastructure.
Its creative hubs must be based in a city with a working population of 75,000, a four-hour journey time to the capital and links to a well-developed independent television or digital production community.
