Studio where Spice Girls recorded settles in Peak District

Producers at a record studio which has worked with the Spice Girls, Take That and Celine Dion say they are enjoying their new Peak District base.

Steelworks Studios moved to Great Longstone, in Derbyshire, in October, from its home of 28 years in Sheffield.

The new site includes two recording studios and a sound stage.

Record producer Eliot Kennedy said: "There is so much we can do now in this new facility and we are here in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside."

Mr Kennedy said: "We can put on gigs and full productions here and no-one knows we are here."

The songwriter - who had his first number one at the age of 25 with Take That - added: "We stopped needing to be in the city centre maybe 10 years ago.

"Things have changed - the way people record now. We do so much remotely. It came down to what we wanted. It was just the right time."

Mr Kennedy has also worked with artists including Bryan Adams, S Club 7, Five, Billie Piper, Atomic Kitten and Russell Watson.

Looking back on memories of earlier days, he recalled how the Spice Girls moved into his house while they were working together.

He said: "It was crazy. They had nowhere else to stay. They had no money. We were doing everything because we believed in doing it."

Tom Barker, a producer and songwriter at Steelworks Studio, said: "We have now settled in finally after about six months.

"It was time for a change - it was a bit of a crazy idea we had, and we ran with it.

"Now we are here in the Peak District and loving every second of it."

He said some artists have a longer commute to the studio but "the fact they're coming out to the Peak District - to the countryside - there is not a better place to be for them.

"It's a really creative space here so I think they are enjoying it as much as we are."

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