No brain-drain for BBC

THE leader of Salford council has laughed off suggestions that a multi-million move by the BBC to Salford could see a brain-drain from the capital to the city.

Councillor John Merry was responding to concerns raised by a London councillor that the proposed creation of a new media centre at Quay Point could lead to a loss of thousands of jobs in the capital.
He joked that Salford was not ready to become the capital of the country “just yet”.

His comments came as Eccles MP Ian Stewart predicted that the proposed Media City would become the BBC’s UK and global headquarters.

Coun Merry was speaking at a fringe meeting at the Labour party conference in which he outlined his vision for the redevelopment of the derelict 200 acre site.

Suffer

He said: “I don’t get the sense that London will suffer jobs-wise from this move.” He added that he believed there were already enough other media jobs based in capital.

Hackney Labour councillor Guy Nicholson voiced his concerns at the event. He said: “The plan is very inspiring and exciting. However, hundreds of people who work in London will be faced with relocating to Salford or losing their jobs because there will be no work for them."

Coun Nicholson urged the people behind the scheme to consider using part of the post-Olympic Games site in London as a satellite for Media City. The meeting was also attended by Salford Council’s chief executive Barbara Spicer, Media City’s Felicity Goodey and Eccles MP Ian Stewart.

If Media City is given the go-ahead, it is expected to include an iconic building housing the BBC, a media skills institute, a university faculty, shops, housing, piazza, gyms, a city academy and a hotel.

It is thought that the move would create up to 15,500 jobs and pump around £1.5 billion into the regional economy.
A decision on the move is expected to be announced on November 1. After the meeting, the MP for Eccles said: "I think it’s the greatest tribute for a London councillor to come here and use words like ’inspiring’.

“This project has national and international implications. “If it goes ahead, it will not just benefit the people of Salford and the city of Manchester, but the region and the whole of England. If the BBC moves here it will be seen to be setting up both its UK and global headquarters in Salford."

© Copyright 2008 Manchester Evening News. If you wish to use this article for commercial purposes please contact our syndication department.