Macca backs bid to save Abbey Road studios

FORMER Beatle Paul McCartney told of his hopes that the famous Abbey Road Studios could be saved after reportedly being put up for sale by owner EMI.

The record company’s private equity parent Terra Firma is said to be hoping the north London site — made famous by the eponymous Beatles album and zebra crossing cover shot — could raise tens of millions of pounds.

McCartney, who recorded most of the Beatles’ songs at Abbey Road, said: “There are a few people who have been associated with the studio for a long time who were talking about mounting some bid to save it.

“I sympathise with them. I hope they can do something, it’d be great.”

He added: “I have got so many memories there with the Beatles. It still is a great studio. So it would be lovely if somebody could get a thing together to save it.”

The sale would help EMI to pay some debts it was saddled with after Terra Firma’s 2007 takeover.

The group bought the property for £100,000 in 1929.

Abbey Road’s was also used for propaganda recordings for the British government during the Second World War.

The Beatles named their final album after the studios in 1969.

Recording advances and cheaper studio facilities have added pressure to Abbey Road.

EMI posted a £1.75 billion (€2bn) loss for the year to March 2009 earlier this month.

Terra Firma was last week reportedly looking for investors to pump £120 million into the business as it seeks capital.

It took on huge debts in 2007 to buy the firm and is almost certain to breach lending terms without further investment, handing control to lender Citigroup.