From the Star Wars empire to selling the kitchen sink: Elstree Studios in the 1980s and 90s

When I started I had to provide photographs to illustrate the articles but I had more space back then and would hand in my copy having typed it. I was paid by the word so I always hoped the editor would not chop too much out.

Times have certainly changed and when I started the new Elstree-made film on the block was something called Star Wars. That gave Elstree Studios the beginning of a decade of financial success, and some dubbed the facility as Lucas land. In 1986 it was highly profitable, especially with the now often unsung post production facilities. The film library was a golden egg awaiting the era of video tapes and remakes. It is true the buildings were showing signs of age but that could have been remedied. The giant silent stage six, built for The Empire Strikes Back, was a great asset, as were the new cutting rooms.

Alas, the then owners Thorn EMI felt uneasy about having a studio, cinemas and making films in their portfolio so in 1986 they wanted out. At first it looked like a management buyout might succeed but they failed to raise enough funding, especially as some unwise contracts had been entered into with various production companies. The result was a company built on a hill of sand called Cannon stepped in and bought the whole lot. In their two years in charge they did indeed use Elstree for films like Superman IV and built another stage, but they also sold off the film library, which was a big mistake.

However, let us say Cannon were using creative accountancy to keep afloat and sooner or later were destined to hit the rocks. The result was that in 1988 they announced Elstree Studios was up for sale to anyone. Sadly the likes of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, whom I met to discuss the future, were not interested in owning bricks and mortar. Personally you may very well think that was a big mistake but I could not possibly comment. They could have bought Elstree Studios with a long-term view and on land value alone could not have lost money. Alas, I was unable to persuade them and as we all know Brent Walker bought the facility at an inflated price backed by stupid banks, who as George Walker told me, almost pleaded with you to over borrow money. The bubble burst and Brent Walker sold off 12 acres of the studio to Tesco for £19 million and left me fighting a campaign for the next eight years to preserve the remaining 15 acres as a studio. They ran down the facility and in 1993 closed it and stripped everything out from copper wiring, generators, kitchen sinks and furniture, etc. At the same time they said to me please show any film maker around who wants to buy this wreck. Well, they misjudged a Borehamwood council house kid who was raised with standards in the post war era, so I fought them all the way.

Thankfully in 1996 we persuaded Hertsmere Borough Council to step in and with luck on the legal side the banks controlling the asset stripping of Brent Walker wanted to avoid bad publicity and sold the studio to the council for less than £2 million. I got an MBE as they had run out of worthy dinner ladies that year but I will go to my grave feeling I did something worthwhile in my life. Today Elstree Studios is a great success and it is nice the Borehamwood Museum has put on a display remembering that campaign of all those years ago. Oddly enough, I rarely visit the studio today as it is all closed sets and a new generation would not know me. We must not live in the past but I salute all those who supported the save Elstree Studios campaign . Until next time take care, wrap up warm and I will report on my interview with the Strictly Come Dancing-winning professional to show I am still I hip to the beat.

• Paul Welsh is a Borehamwood writer and historian of Elstree Studios