News / Engineering

Dyson halts plans for £100m Bristol hub

By Milan Perera  Wednesday Jan 15, 2025

The engineering giant Dyson has confirmed that all its Bristol staff have now been relocated to its headquarters in Malmesbury, as the proposed £100m tech hub in the city will no longer go ahead.

The hub was expected to establish a cutting-edge innovation centre at Finzels Reach, a prime location within a key regeneration zone near Bristol Bridge.

The site was set to accommodate hundreds of engineers and researchers focused on developing Dyson’s next-generation technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence.

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Dyson has now confirmed that the planned Bristol facility will no longer proceed, with all Bristol staff now being relocated to its headquarters in Malmesbury

However, uncertainty surrounding the project’s future had loomed since July 2024, when Dyson first hinted that the hub could face delays or be scaled back.

The company has now confirmed that the planned Bristol facility will no longer proceed, with all staff now being relocated to Malmesbury, 30 miles away.

But Dyson has reiterated that the company’s investment in the local economy and people remains intact, with the only change being the location, which is now a 45-minute drive from Bristol.

With the lease for its office in Cathedral Square nearing its end, all West of England-based employees, including 180 staff from its Bristol office, will now be commuting to Malmesbury.

The site which was earmarked for the tech hub at 1 Georges Square in Finzels Reach is to be rented out.

To assist with the staff relocation, the firm will offer a coach service and free electric vehicle charging to support commuting.

In 2024, Dyson chief executive Hanno Kirner emphasised the need for “agility and entrepreneurship” in the increasingly competitive global landscape.

“While these decisions are painful for affected colleagues, Dyson aims to support those at risk of redundancy during this uncertain time,” said Kirner.

 

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Dyson, founded by inventor James Dyson in 1991, is renowned for its bagless vacuum cleaner technology and has long been regarded as one of the leading innovators within the British tech sector.

However, in 2019, the company made the decision to relocate its headquarters to Singapore, a move that surprised many in both the business and tech sectors.

Bill Wright, Dyson’s UK HR director, said: “As a global technology company, our research, innovation and discovery of new technology depends on collaboration, and sparking ideas off each other.

“As the pace of innovation and development accelerates, we increasingly see the benefits that would come from having teams all located together in one physical location.”

All photos: Dyson

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