THE team behind Glasgow's bid to house the Channel 4 HQ believe they meet all the entry standards – despite criteria insisting the host city is three hours travel from London.

Laying out its demands for the site of its national headquarters, Jonathan Allan, commercial chief of the channel, told a briefing that the city should have a working population of 200,000 and a travel time of up to three hours from London, adding the winning city should also have a high level of physical and digital creativity.

Sources close to the Glasgow bid said while train journeys from London would take longer than four hours, the airport will play a central role in the case to win-over the broadcaster with flights lasting less than an hour.

Birmingham, one of the key contenders for the HQ, is within three hours by rail to London, as is Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester.

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Broadcaster and writer Stuart Cosgrove, who is spearheading the Glasgow entry, said: "What we learned is that Channel 4 is really very clear about what it needs and wants in a new National HQ - and that Glasgow meets all of the entry guidelines and key considerations, even before we get started telling our own story.

"Glasgow will look to go beyond the criteria set out today and I’m confident we can excite Channel 4 with a persuasive and really creative bid."

The Herald: Stuart Cosgrove

Mr Allan, the station boss, said that the channel's guidelines were "not gates" and that if competitor cities had other strengths "it's up to you to convince us".

He also noted that the successful city would to have a "a high level of physical and digital connectivity".

Mr Allan, whose father is Glaswegian, said: "We want to remain a very integrated business, so the ease of travel for staff and our partners between the hubs is going to be crucial.

"Therefore we are going to be looking for places that have robust local infrastructure and transport, frequent and fast on a local and national basis.

"The quality of life and general attractiveness of the region is also going to be important."

The time line for the process begins on 11 May with the deadline for bids, followed by 30 May, when cities will be told they are on the short list.

From 11 to 29 June, there will be presentations by short listed cities with visit by the Channel 4 leaders, with the announcement of the winner to be made in October.

The Glasgow bid for the new national HQ has received backing from the leading producer Chris Young, who made The Inbetweeners and makes the Gaelic show Bannan on Skye.

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Mr Young said: “For over 30 years Young Films has worked closely with Channel 4 and Film 4 on many award-winning and successful TV shows and films – including The Inbetweeners.

“We have always appreciated the fact that Channel 4 has embraced our commitment to working in Scotland - and I believe that having Channel 4’s National Hub in Glasgow would be a game changer for the Scottish film and television industry.

“I am passionate about our industry in Scotland and see Channel 4 as a significant partner in the future.

“We are thrilled to be working together on Scottish and international projects together, as well as the talent programme in Skye; which launches its pilot in May this year, with both Film Four and Channel 4 support.”

The Inbetweeners was first broadcast on E4 in 2008 – with the opening episode of its third series recording the channel’s highest-ever audience for an original commission in 2010.

It aired in more than 20 countries across the globe and led to two films.