BBC Tours permanent closure.

[DJGM1974]

This is from an e-mail I received earlier today . . .

[size=150]BBC Tours in England: Update[/size]

Dear Guests,

Following a review, the BBC has regretfully decided to not reopen public tours of BBC premises across England.
This will affect the following tours:

• All About The Archers

• BBC Bristol

• BBC Birmingham

• BBC Birmingham Educational Tours

• BBC Tour at MediaCityUK

• CBBC Interactive Tour at MediaCityUK

• BBC Newcastle

• BBC Newcastle Children’s Interactive Tour

The Tours have been suspended since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic
and a decision has been made not to re-open.

Unfortunate for anyone that hadn't been able to go on these tours, and thanks to Covid, will now never have the chance.

[Newshound47]

Controversial decision considering the BBC is licensee fee funded.

[bbctvtechop]

Controversial decision considering the BBC is [publicly] funded.

So is the Ministy of Defence.

[Brekkie]

And I suspect they're not profitable so closing them saves licence fee money.

[Joe]

And I suspect they're not profitable so closing them saves licence fee money.

Yes – profit doesn't necessarily have to come first with the BBC, but the fact they're closing suggests they're not, which in turn suggests they're simply not attracting enough people.

[RDJ]

It remains to be seen if the public spaces will ever re-open at all too.

BBC Birmingham’s foyer used to be open to the public between 9am-5pm Mon-Sat but has been shut off since the pandemic, just taking to displaying some of the attractions in the window (e.g. dresses from Strictly etc.)

[chris]

I found the tours increasingly underwhelming, which is perhaps part of the problem. The Broadcasting House tour was nowhere near as interesting or “behind the scenes” as the TVC tour.

[MFTJA]

I found the tours increasingly underwhelming, which is perhaps part of the problem. The Broadcasting House tour was nowhere near as interesting or “behind the scenes” as the TVC tour.

Is that just because BH is mostly a news centre while TVC was where all types of content was being produced? Or was the tour just not great anyway?

[bbctvtechop]

Although I notice the London W1 Broadcasting House tour isn't in the list in the original post. I think that's because they were "temporarily" dropped following the two security incidents in the building, I don't know if they were ever permanently removed?

All I remember is encountering large groups of people staring at me trying to figure out if I was famous, while blocking up the corridors and hallways, whenever I was trying to go somewhere in the building!

[Brekkie]

And I suspect they're not profitable so closing them saves licence fee money.

Yes – profit doesn't necessarily have to come first with the BBC, but the fact they're closing suggests they're not, which in turn suggests they're simply not attracting enough people.

None of them sound particularly interesting. Touring TV Centre at it's peak would have been very interesting but a Children's Interactive Tour in Newcastle, not really known for kids TV since the days of Byker Grove, seems a bit pointless.

[J102B]

I’m really disappointed in this announcement. I’m a teacher of media studies and we did a trip to BBC Birmingham where ‘The Archers’ is produced. We actually have to study Archers as part of our course too. We managed to get the most disengaged students to be excited when looking around the production set and sound chambers. I know it’s only one small part of many tours but they can inspire the most unlikely to chase a career in the media. It’s a real shame.

[gottago]

Anyone know what the content of the Newcastle one was? That must have been fairly limited.

[Whataday]

It remains to be seen if the public spaces will ever re-open at all too.

BBC Birmingham’s foyer used to be open to the public between 9am-5pm Mon-Sat but has been shut off since the pandemic, just taking to displaying some of the attractions in the window (e.g. dresses from Strictly etc.)

BBC Wales New BH was meant to be open to the public with a thoroughfare from one side to the other but this hasn't happened yet (and in fact the last time I went near the entrance an overzealous security guard came to move me on).

[MFTJA]

It remains to be seen if the public spaces will ever re-open at all too.

BBC Birmingham’s foyer used to be open to the public between 9am-5pm Mon-Sat but has been shut off since the pandemic, just taking to displaying some of the attractions in the window (e.g. dresses from Strictly etc.)

BBC Wales New BH was meant to be open to the public with a thoroughfare from one side to the other but this hasn't happened yet (and in fact the last time I went near the entrance an overzealous security guard came to move me on).

The email just says tours in England so I hope that the Wales one does open as it looks like a very nice building.

[Markymark]

It remains to be seen if the public spaces will ever re-open at all too.

BBC Birmingham’s foyer used to be open to the public between 9am-5pm Mon-Sat but has been shut off since the pandemic, just taking to displaying some of the attractions in the window (e.g. dresses from Strictly etc.)

BBC Wales New BH was meant to be open to the public with a thoroughfare from one side to the other but this hasn't happened yet (and in fact the last time I went near the entrance an overzealous security guard came to move me on).

The email just says tours in England so I hope that the Wales one does open as it looks like a very nice building.

There was never a tour of Central Square, so no need to say it's no longer available !

You can still thrill yourself by penetrating the building, by visiting the integral Pret