SCOTLAND’S fastest growing television production company has seen turnover treble in the last year, and said the relocation of Channel 4 to Glasgow would be a game changer for the entire city.
Nicole Kleeman, managing director of Firecrest Films, said if the broadcaster choose Glasgow to base its new headquarters, “the reputation of the city would be enhanced” to the benefit of businesses across multiple industries.
Ms Kleeman was speaking as Firecrest, maker of Channel 4’s award-winning Supershoppers, was confirmed as the UK’s fastest growing producer outside of London, following a survey of 140 TV companies by respected industry magazine Broadcast.
Firecrest increased turnover to £3m last year, up from £1m the previous period, helping the Govan-based business to feature in Broadcast’s list for the second successive year.
READ MORE: Glasgow bids for new Channel 4 HQ as it aims to be Britain's media capital
And Ms Kleeman said the company was poised for further growth thanks to an increase in commissions from producers outside London.
“You just feel like you’re pushing at an open door, there is a real opportunity at the moment,” she said. “For quite a few years in Glasgow you felt the cold wind that you were quite far away but it’s gone completely the other way now.”
The business is one of a number of production companies lobbying for Channel 4 to choose Glasgow for its second headquarters, a plan which would create around 300 jobs. It comes following guidance from the Government to move more business outside of London.
Glasgow is preparing a pitch to lure the broadcaster north, but faces competition from Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester.
“It would be completely transformative,” said Ms Kleeman. “It would be a fantastic match for the city. What this city is really good at in terms of creativity, the profile of Channel 4 would match that. Not only would the TV sector would be boosted, the reputation of the city would be enhanced if a company like Channel 4 has a key part of its business here.”
The move by Channel 4 comes as the BBC plans to launch its new Scottish channel, which is currently awaiting a decision from the regulator Ofcom.
In addition to its plans for a headquarters, Channel 4 last month outlined plans to spend half its programming budget outside of London. Separately, the BBC plans to invest an additional £40m in BBC Scotland, through the new channel, network productions and an enhanced digital service.
Herald View: Why Channel 4 should tune into case for Glasgow
Ms Kleeman was previously a producer for Newsnight and Panorama on BBC staff. She moved to Scotland 16 years ago to work for the BBC and established Firecrest in 2008 after noticing there were no independent producers making current affairs programmes in Scotland.
Last year, the company’s growth accelerated following investment from the prestigious Channel 4 Growth Fund, which took an equity stake in the business in January 2017 as part of a £20m pot to assist and nurture small production companies.
That allowed Ms Kleeman to hire experienced hands in Iain Scollay and Mark Roberts, and move the company to larger premises, at Govan’s Fairfield building. The company now has eight full-time staff, but television production is very much a freelance industry, and as many as 40 are on short-term contracts dependent on the level of work.
“I just don’t think we’d have grown as quickly without the investment,” said Ms Kleeman, who said the corporation continued to provide business and mentoring support.
The producer has made a number of acclaimed documentaries including Princess Diana’s ‘Wicked’ Stepmother and Dispatches – Secrets of Coca Cola, for Channel 4; and Breadline Kids and Panorama – Sleepless Britain for the BBC. Its latest series, Britain’s Favourite Food, began on Channel 4 last month.
Ms Kleeman said there was “enormous opportunity in Scotland”.
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