James Bond is back to help loss-making Pinewood Shepperton

Pinewood Shepperton tumbled to a loss after a year that saw the film studios taken over, but it still has James Bond for company.

The next Bond film, Skyfall, in the last stage of production at Pinewood, is due to be launched in October, and is already winning rave reviews for its trailer. Pinewood has hosted 21 of the 23 Bond films.

But even 007, pictured in the Daniel Craig incarnation, couldn't keep Pinewood in the black.

During the 15 months to March, the studios made a loss of £1.9m compared with a profit of £5.8m last time. The extended reporting period brings it into line with 71 per cent-shareholder Peel Acquisitions, which completed a takeover last year.

Pinewood said it is going back into making and funding films such as small-budget British offerings. But plans to expand its 100-acre site were refused in January, costing it £7.1m.