Ambitious officials at Barking and Dagenham LBC want to turn the area into the new Hollywood – conjuring silver screen magic from the depths of Barking Creek and the shadows of the Ford motor works.
A local study has highlighted how the area could offer prime film studio space to Hollywood's biggest producers (no inappropriate Weinstein jokes here, Mr Gove!), securing hundreds of skilled jobs and £35m a year for the borough's economy. There's certainly plenty of spare warehouse space at the old docks.
