When Peter Mitchell reads the information bulletin tonight from Seven Melbourne’s new residence at Melbourne Quarter Tower in Collins Road, it would mark a 3rd chapter on the community for the seasoned newsman.

‘Mitch’ grew to become weekend information presenter for Seven in 1987 and weeknight anchor in 2000, initially at Seven’s former residence in South Melbourne.

On Friday he learn his final bulletin at Broadcast Centre Melbourne, Docklands, adjoining to Marvel Stadium (beforehand Etihad Stadium).

“It’s unusual to be leaving there, as a result of it was objective constructed as Kerry Stokes’ offshoot from the soccer stadium. It was the printed centre of the community, and we thought we’d be there ceaselessly,” he tells TV Tonight.

“There’s solely a handful of us who could have labored in all three locations. I first bought the Monday to Friday gig over at Dorcas Road, and I learn there for 18 months with Jim Wilson and David Brown, earlier than all of us moved over to BCM at Docklands.

“You may even recall what it appeared like earlier than that stadium was constructed… the outdated Footscray Highway was simply one of many ugliest elements of Melbourne by an absolute mile. As soon as it was all knocked over we had the brand new place open, and the massive crimson Seven.”

That massive crimson Seven could have develop into a Melbourne landmark, nevertheless it gained’t be shifting to MQT, which stands virtually reverse Southern Cross railway statton.

“We’ve been instructed, sadly, it’s being sawn up into scrap steel. We noticed the employees with the cherry pickers there yesterday taking off the Seven Melbourne signage from our constructing, and that’s going to undergo the identical destiny. Sadly, that’s progress for you.”

Seven’s has two flooring of the constructing, shared with different companies reminiscent of Medibank and even Don Smallgoods, and coincidentally brings the community nearer to 9’s Bourke Road residence, additionally reverse Southern Cross.

“Viewers gained’t discover a lot of a distinction, other than the truth that all the things’s model new and the screens are cutting-edge. It’s crystal clear high quality, and the graphics might be very clear, so it’s going to be very slick. However apart from that, the precise presentation of the information doesn’t change one bit,” he continues.

“The studio is so massive they’ll swing the cameras round and do one other present from the opposite route. And there’s a secondary studio… for guests or for Dawn or The Morning Present the place they’ll cross to anyone. The Sunday soccer present has its personal space, as a part of the brand new studio as properly.

“There’s two management rooms, so you possibly can have two exhibits going directly, not that that occurs all that a lot, however it’s attainable.”

One other flooring is open plan for Gross sales and Administration. Progress additionally calls for there are not any dressing rooms, save for one room for males and one other for feminine presenters.

“They’re fairly spacious, and the corners have a hospital curtain that you would be able to pull round for privateness. It’s an fascinating transfer, as a result of not one of the presenters have gotten places of work like at Docklands. We’ve all bought workstations so I’m wanting ahead to seeing how that dynamic works,” Mitchell suggests.

“It’s a really open plan newsroom, very like you’d discover wherever around the globe, the place everybody has to muck in.”

Mitchell has blended emotions about departing BCM, which was as soon as the tech hub of the community, serving as playout centre for all nationwide broadcasts.

“There’s a component of unhappiness, in a method, that we’re leaving this space,” he explains.

“But when I’m being brutally sincere, I nonetheless scratch my head and surprise concerning the planning of Docklands itself. The place we’re going into Collins Road, it’s vibrant. There are cafes and bars throughout us. If you stroll in, there are employees consuming their lunch within the gardens and parks. It’s simply nice to see life, whereas in Docklands, it’s at all times been an odd space particularly over on that facet, I do know the collapse of the waterfront there hasn’t helped one bit, they usually’ve tried festivals and all types of issues to deliver some life to it, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a piece in progress.”

Mitchell can’t say what’s going to develop into of BCM.

“I actually don’t know what’s going to occur to the Channel Seven constructing. Will or not it’s knocked down? Extra residences put up? Is that the reply to bringing life to that space?” he asks. “I don’t know, however I believe it must contain some form of plan to open up the stadium a bit extra, perhaps deliver the concourse down onto Harbour Esplanade.

“In a method, I’m unhappy to be leaving there, however in one other method, I’m very excited to be beginning at a brand new place at this stage of my life.”

Seven Information 6pm nightly on Seven.