In 1979 Cricklewood gave birth to a £1.5million baby.

"It's surprising, it's refreshing, it's delightful," cooed Times reporter Val Harmes, baptising it in the process as "the most exciting thing to have ever happened to Cricklewood".

The proud parents were the Hendon-born Samuelson brothers, Sydney, David, Michael and Tony, known collectively as Samuelson Film Service Limited. The infant's name proper -- Production Village.

Operating from its headquarters in Cricklewood Broadway, the company had already established a reputation as one of the world's largest and most comprehensive suppliers of film industry equipment. But it was the way in which the brothers positively exploited the setting of their new location in Cricklewood Lane which really put them, and Cricklewood, on the map.

In its infancy, Production Village was used primarily for film purposes. It had ten film studio stages, fully-equipped production offices, lighting supplies and wardrobe rooms -- everything, in fact, needed to make films.

During the Samuelson's seven-year ownership, however, the village morphed into a vibrant entertainment complex. With its two pubs and picturesque duck pond, some predicted it might even prove the catalyst for a cultural restoration of the area.

On the evidence of Production Village today, it is hard to believe such enthusiasm ever existed. Gaunt and unkempt, the question has to be asked, "What on earth happened?"

Tony Samuelson, now 68, has a simple explanation. "The world changed," he says. "The film company decided Production Village wasn't part of its core business and decided to sell."

On the pub front meanwhile, a blossoming demon made running the complex increasingly difficult -- drugs.

"There was always one night in the week when a local guy would come in, tanked up, causing a nuisance. As a licencee you would often have to see them off the premises in a friendly manner. It's another thing entirely, however, when you get someone coming in stoned out of his mind.

"It got to the stage where we would have to run metal detectors across people for weapons -- that's how the world changed. We were the first people with leisure premises to install close circuit TV cameras."

By 1987 Samuelsons decided to sell. The dream, it seemed, had died. For Tony Samuelson however, those days were the happiest of his life. "I remember saying to one of the managers 'I don't know how I could possibly live without this place', it was a huge emotional thing for me personally."

Production Village was sold to Bass Taverns. Last week it announced the site was on the verge of being sold again. "We want to concentrate on our larger pubs," said a spokesman. He said an announcement on the new owners was expected within the month.

With little to go on, it's premature to speculate what guise Production Village will take next. Its early years were joyous, its teenage years confused; with new owners on the horizon all the local community can hope is that they add to, rather than take away, what essentially belongs to Cricklewood.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.