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BBC Resources
As one of the largest production facilities in the UK, it employed around 1,100 staff (approx. 960 plus 165 in admin.) and had an annual turnover of around £125 million - although it does not own any studios[3] - its assets being staff and equipment. It was the first of the BBC's commercial business-to-business divisions to be set up as a limited company and is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC.
OrganisationBBC Resources provides production facilities to programme makers, and is now made up of two active businesses under BBC control: Two others have been sold:
PrivatisationThe company made an operating profit of £6.1m for 2005-06, down from £7.4m the year before, with the BBC accounting for 83.3% of its turnover, down from 87.4% for 2004-05.[9] The figure for 2006-07 was £5.2 million - with BBC business at 80% of turnover.[10] Leaked figures show a reduced profit of £2.3m for 2007-08[11] and that £3.4m had been spent on "consultants, legal and internal costs" during the sell-off.[12] Andrew Thornton was appointed as project director in early 2007 for the sale of the company, and in April Ernst & Young were named as external advisers. The team responsible for this privatisation have been named as: Ed Murray, Victoria Custerson, Peter Ranyard, Grant Welland, Dominic Warren, Paula Hornby, Mike Goodie, Ali Jeremy,- other expertise "will be brought in as required". This sale team is accountable to a BBC steering group consisting of: Zarin Patel, Nicholas Eldred, Stephen Kelly, Peter Salmon and John Smith. On 16th August 2007 advertisements were placed in the Financial Times, The Times and Broadcast inviting expressions of interest for the acquisition of this commercial subsidiary, and stating that "it is expected that the sale of the business and transfer of BBC Resources staff to the successful bidder will take place by the end of March 2008, subject to contract negotiations and approvals".[13] On 6th November The Guardian reported[14] that the privatisation could be left with a shortfall of up to £15m to cover the transfer of the pensions of BBC Resources staff to a potential new employer.[15] The BBC has never released the names of the short-listed companies,[16] with The Guardian reporting - in early 2008 - more leaks over concerns about pension obligations and asbestos exposure.[17] On 7th March 2008 it was announced that the outside broadcast division would be sold, as expected, to Satellite Information Services[11][18] for £19.3m[19] - with a surprise announcement that the studios operation (employing around 350 staff at Television Centre and Elstree) would remain in BBC ownership.[20] In early June 2008, the fate of the third business was put on hold with the BBC stating that "for the time being, we are no longer actively in discussion with a buyer for Post Production" and that "like Studios, Post Production will remain within BBC Resources, which will continue to operate as a wholly-owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC". The staff newspaper Ariel had reported on 18th March that Post's 400 staff had been told that the BBC "may need to look at other solutions if the business is not sold at this stage". BBC Costume + WigsCostume and Wigs - trading as part of BBC Studios - was the second largest collection of its kind in the UK, after the leading suppliers Angels The Costumiers. It was not included in the privatisation, however in early October 2007 it was announced that the business was to close within six months and the entire stock sold as a complete collection.[21] This sale fell through - the interested party was thought to have been prop hire company Superhire - and on 14th February 2008 the department ceased trading,[22] with a BBC spokeswoman adding that "the arrangements [the corporation] was pursuing have not worked out and BBC Resources is currently inviting interested parties to consider making an offer to purchase."[23] The costume collection - consisting of over 1 million items - was eventually sold to costume house Angels and Bermans on 30 March 2008.[24] The collection of wigs was sold separately to The Wig Store Limited http://www.thewigstore.net a management buy-out put together by Philippa Devon and Alan Godleman.[25] References
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