Evening Standard
27/10/04
Part of rock 'n' roll history has been turned into new flats aimed at the young and single, says David Spittles. Before French footballers became the most famous celebrities on the Highbury block, autograph hunters used to stand in the cold to spot stars at a venue just a few minutes' walk form Arsenal's stadium. Virtually everyone in the rock 'n' roll hall of fame - from the Rolling Stones to Stevie Wonder to the Sex Pistols - recorded at Wessex Studios, a Victorian chapel in Highbury New Park. Set up in 1965 by legendary Beatles producer George Martin, it was the best equipped and busiest recording studio in the country after Abbey Road. The studio closed a couple of years ago, and developers immediately stared to circle. Tucked behind St Augustine's Church, the studio, itself a former chapel, had a domed, barrel-valuated ceiling, ornate plasterwork, warm brickwork and arched windows. Developer Neptune Group, turned it into The Recording Studio, a scheme of eight flats and a town house. Retaining the beauty of the raw space was always going to be a challenge, and the architectural nip-and-tuck has not been a complete success. Putting in floors and walls inevitable involves design compromises. There are unsatisfying glimpses of the original structure in all of the flats, but Neptune has tried to compensate by offering an above-average specification that includes solid-oak floors, slate tiles, granite worktops and pull down plasma televisions. Set behind gates, there is a landscaped drive that runs alongside a school playground. But childless singles and couples are the most likely buyers.