JANUARY
Golden Square becomes the first UK post firm to set up in China. Ben Leyland is tasked with kick-starting business at the Shanghai base of digital communications group Profero.

The Station relocates from Soho to larger premises in Bloomsbury.

Evolutions wins Broadcast’s post-production house of the year award.

FEBRUARY
The Farm Group launches Corner, an Avid-based offline shop servicing Britain’s Got Talent and Monarchy: The Royal Family At Work.

Keith Williams leaves Ascent Media where he was vice-president, operations to become chief executive of Goldcrest.

Oasis goes under owing more than £3m. It re-emerges as Oasis@Sanctuary shedding 29 jobs after The Sanctuary buys Oasis for an undisclosed sum. Oasis managing director Gareth Mullaney later joins Resolution.

MARCH
Former MPC colourist Thomas Urbye opens The Look, a boutique catering for HD grades and online.

The Mill secures new investor The Carlyle Group after 3i cashed in its stake last year. The Mill’s management team, led by former Broadcast journalist Robin Shenfield, retains a substantial share in the £29m business.

Pinewood Shepperton’s Albert R Broccoli 007 sound stage reopens after the original burnt down last year. At 59,000sq ft, it’s the largest in Europe.

APRIL
Peter Joly joins Aquarium as business development director from Goldcrest Post Production.

MAY
Smoke and Mirrors invests £2.2m outfitting its London and New York facilities with HD workflows and expanded capacity on both sites.

Mike Luckwell buys into Unit and becomes non-executive editor. Unit uses the cash to expand from 3,200 to 7,000sq ft.

Barcud Derwen splashes £500,000 on a facility upgrade including an Avid Isis and 14 Adrenalines.

Commercials house Absolute opens a New York office.

JUNE
Envy announces a £2.2m investment in kit and premises, including a £1.2m expansion of its Margaret Street premises.

UK Post and Services becomes UK Screen Association to better reflect its wider membership, which now includes studios, film and hire services.

JULY
Prime Focus Ltd unveils the fruits of a £3.2m refurbishment of its Dean Street premises and reveals that the new name for the former VTR group and Clear brands is - Prime Focus London.

Skaramoosh London relaunches after its untimely demise in December with managing director Daniel Slight still at the helm.

Pepper moves from Covent Garden to new flagship facilities in Greek Street spending £400,000 on a stylish refurb.

Locomotion installs Soho’s first 4GB XSAN network to support eight uncompressed HD suites equipped with Final Cut Studio 2. “This sets a new technical benchmark,” said Locomotion managing director Dan Coster.

AUGUST
BBC Resources officially puts up the “for sale” sign. Project director Andrew Thornton said: “This is a unique opportunity for any potential bidder; it’s not every day such a treasure trove of outstanding expertise and skills comes on the market.”

SEPTEMBER
Uncle Soho, part of the Farm Group, opens its doors at Livonia Street after relocating from Wood Lane.

Sound specialist Jungle Group launches online division Giant headed by Smoke operator John Myers.

VFX boutique Lime merges with sister companies M2 and Narduzzo Too. The enlarged company is branded Lime and run by Nick Wortman and James Niklasson.

OCTOBER
Crow TV takes on the staff, assets (eight offlines) and lease of Endemol in-house unit The Edit House.

Lipsync invests £500,000 on a 6,800sq ft expansion of its film VFX department in Wardour Street.

Frontier Post closes with staff and assets taken on by Arena P3, part of The TV Set.

NOVEMBER

Evolutions is the first broadcast facility to open on Broadway, NYC. It houses six Adrenalines and a Symphony Nitris to service Tiger Aspect’s Make Me a Supermodel. “We have plans to outsource work from the UK to New York,” said managing director Simon Kanjee.

Concrete is the first Soho house to install Quantel’s networking engine Genetic Engineering as well as Europe’s first 3D stereoscopic suite in an alliance with hire shop Axis Films.

Molinare opens a £250,000 editing wing called The Planet Suites.

DECEMBER
Reality specialist Resolution goes into administration, citing losses resulting from the downturn in factual entertainment programmes.