Filming on location in London generated £168 million for the capital in 2017 and supported the equivalent of 1,680 full-time jobs, according to new research commissioned by Film London.
The study found that for a feature film spending £10,000 a day on local council fees, an additional £27,600 will ripple through the local economy.
The research, prepared for a special event for council leaders, chief executives and senior officers, aims to highlight the economic, cultural and employment benefits offered by London’s screen industries and the current boom in film and high-end TV production.
It found that for every pound spent on local authority charges such as admin fees and logistical costs including road closures for feature film-making, an additional £2.76 is generated, with £1.79 being directly spent with local businesses and an additional 97p of indirect and induced spending also being generated.
Adrian Wootton, chief executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Film and TV is a huge business for London. While the headline figures are staggering – the city generated around £1.25 billion in inward investment spend last year alone – this research shows that there are clear grassroots benefits for local economies.
“Location filming, however, is very much the tip of the iceberg. From generating income by unlocking new studio space to opening up job opportunities for local people there are clear dividends to be had, and we hope to work even more closely with local authorities to ensure they and their residents get the most from London’s unprecedented production boom.”
The research, conducted by BOP Consulting, also found that the average daily spend on council charges for a TV drama shooting on location in London is £5,300, with an additional daily local spend of £8,200, leading to a daily total of £18,100 when indirect and induced spending is included.
