Wimbledon Film and TV Studios, so long the home to ITV police drama The Bill, officially re-opened last week after a £500,000 makeover. With production offices, sound stages, 50 purpose built location sets, 2D and 3D post-production suites, the venue is once again looking forward to welcoming a wide range of film and television productions to its site.

Wimbledon belongs to a consortium led by Piers Read and John Brennan. Backed by investment group Panther Securities, they purchased what used to be known as Merton Studios from FremantleMedia in September 2010 for £4.75m. Previously, the site was home to The Bill from 1984 until the show was finally axed by ITV during 2010.

The official opening took place On March 17. But there are still plans for more work, including the addition of two 2,500 square foot sound stages and a green-screen studio.

In terms of new projects, the studio has already been used to shoot scenes for Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent. A replica of the House Of Commons was built in Wimbledon’;s Stage 1.