“We’ve really put South Manchester on the map”: Studios used by Johnny Marr and Sam Smith hits the right note to double its growth

Pre-production and rehearsal facility South City Studios has doubled in size since acquiring additional space at Welkin Mill in Stockport.

South City Studios now houses a 500-capacity pre-production room for artists to rehearse and record in a venue setting. 

This is the first pre-production room available in the North of England and provides private VIP facilities for the artists and their sound and lighting technicians to prepare for live gigs and tours.

Sam Smith, Elbow, Johnny Marr and The Kaiser Chiefs are just some of the artists that have used the new facility, which has 15 permanent rooms that can be hired monthly and a further four rooms available for flexible bookings.  In addition, South City Studios have collaborated with South City Recordings MCR to offer artists both recording and production facilities under one roof. 

South City Studios received investment from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance as part of the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund in 2023 and is now seeing their plans come to fruition.

The funding allowed the business to expand its facilities which has helped it to become a production powerhouse that is attracting global artists.

Further growth has come from South City Studios’ new music subscription initiative which supports future artists. In collaboration with ‘Brand Your Band’, a fellow industry leader, South City Studios & South City Recordings MCR are combining efforts for an Artist Development Programme.

Paul Bowe, Director of South City Studios said: “We’ve really put South Manchester on the map providing more affordable and accessible high quality facilities. FW Capital’s backing has enabled us to scale our business operation and it’s been a real success. 

“It’s not your usual investment but FW Capital understood our vision and have been really supportive. We’ve welcomed some high-profile names through our doors and got a massive waiting list of artists coming to use our pre-production and recording facilities. The launch of the new subscription service is massive for us. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young artists to gain access to our facilities, receive mentoring and attend masterclasses. We’ve come a long way since our initial plans to expand last year and have achieved everything we set out to do and more. As a result, we’ve doubled in size.”

Lewis McMullin, FW Capital’s Assistant Portfolio Executive, added: “South City Studios is a young and dynamic business that has really gone from strength to strength. Our investment has helped them to thrive and do exactly what they set out to achieve. Paul has raised the profile of South Manchester in the global music scene and his latest initiative to support future artists is a fantastic development that supports future talent. It’s great to be involved with such an exciting business and watch their growth.”

Established in 2017, South City Studios, formerly called The Stockport Studios, is located in Pear Mill, Stockport. The funding was from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, which was managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.