James Bond moving to the Far East?
January 24th, 2010 - 1:31 pm ICT by ANILondon, January 24 (ANI): People in Britain fear that the production of James Bond films may occur in the east in Malaysia, after Pinewood Studios, which makes the super spy flicks, built a massive studio complex in Iskandar, near Singapore.
In fact, Labour MP Gisela Stuart has suggested Business Secretary Lord Mandelson to refer the expansion of Pinewood Shepperton to the Competition Commission, in a bid to check if the plans could hamper Britain’s long-term national interests.
She referred to US food giant Kraft’s purchase of British chocolate company Cadbury’s to hint at the growing business trend.
“After what happened to Cadbury’s we must act to protect British companies and keep them in Britain,” the Daily Express quoted her as saying.
She further added that the Pinewood’s expansion in Malaysia was “very disturbing.”
She hoped that the production house would consider building on the virtually derelict Longbridge site near Birmingham.
Stuart is supposed to meet a representative of the Pinewood board to discuss the issue.
Pinewood’s application to build film sets on greenbelt land near the main studios at Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire had been rejected by a local council last year.
Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, set to be complete in 2012, could provide more than 100,000 square feet of film sets apart from creating 8,000 jobs. (ANI)
Tags: british chocolate, buckinghamshire, business trend, cadbury, chocolate company, competition commission, daily express, derelict, east london, film sets, flicks, food giant, gisela stuart, iskandar, james bond films, labour mp, local council, national interests, pinewood studios, shepperton