Grand Cru Studios

Named after the ship of the same name, recording studio on a Dutch barge, moored in Central London.

In the mid-70s, [a=Pete Townshend] bought an old 110-foot Dutch barge called the GRAND CRU (originally named "Ebenhaezer," which dates back to 1904) and fitted it out with recording facilities. The design was by [a=Keith Slaughter]. The GRAND CRU was moored alongside [l=Oceanic Studios, Twickenham]/[l=Boathouse Studios] and reached via a walkway. It was used mainly by Pete and also by several other artists and producers including [a=Ian Broudie] and [a=Bob Pridden].

Pete sold the Boathouse in 2008, and in 2009 the GRAND CRU left her moorings in Twickenham and sailed down river to her new home at St Katherine’s Dock where, following a five-year re-fit and a new coat of bright blue paint, she was back in business as a fully fledged recording studio with [a=Myles Clarke] as producer and engineer.

In 2020, Grand Cru Two was unveiled, a spacious writing studio at in the boat's aft cabin.