Star-studded parties are among the plans to mark Elstree Studios’ 100th birthday next year.
Studios chair councillor Jeremy Newmark (Lab, Borehamwood Cowley Hill) has confirmed a working group is looking at centenary celebration plans for 2025, including a film and TV visitor centre in Borehamwood.
Elstree Studios has hosted iconic productions throughout its history, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Blackmail, George Lucas’ Star Wars, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Big Brother between 2002 and 2018, and The Crown starring Olivia Colman and Matt Smith.
At a Hertsmere Borough Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 17, Cllr Newmark described the anniversary as an “important and historic” one.
“There’s going to be a really exciting programme of activities, ranging from lectures to star-studded parties, to the establishment of what will hopefully become a permanent fixture in terms of a visitor centre on or close to [Elstree Studios], celebrating our borough and this town’s film and TV heritage.”
Cllr Newmark confirmed officers from the Hertfordshire Economic Board – formerly the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership – will lead the working group, and the centenary committee will feature members of Hertfordshire County Council and the Elstree Film Studios board.
The group will look for external grant funding to support the events and could be celebrated with Hertsmere’s own 50th anniversary this year, according to the councillor
It is one of several district and borough councils throughout England which are celebrating a half century since they were established.
The Local Government Act 1972 led to the creation of nine new districts in Hertfordshire, including Hertsmere, comprising the former urban districts of Bushey and Potters Bar, the rural district of Elstree, and Aldenham parish.
Cllr Morris Bright (Con, Elstree), who chaired Elstree Studios between 2007 and 2023, said the studio land was purchased in 1925, while building began in 1926 and the first film was made in 1927.
The councillor said: “As any good producer will tell you, always spread your costs out over a couple of years.
“We will start the celebrations of our 100th anniversary next year in 2025, and we will run them over a couple of years, with lots of different types of events.
“We want residents to be able to attend them as much as we want to get big names into the studios,” he added. “It’s very important that these studios belong to our residents, so they should be part of any celebrations.”
Hertsmere Borough Council has owned Elstree Film Studios since 1996, after a campaign to prevent previous owners Brent Walker from developing or selling the site for retail use.
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