News / bottle yard studios
Film and TV studios to no longer be sold
The sale of the Bottle Yard Studios is off, Bristol City Council have announced.
The most sustainable entertainment studio in the world was due to be sold off after councillors had been asked to search for a purchaser that could “maximise future investment opportunities”.
The studio which opened in 2010 soon became the largest film and TV studio in the West of England, considered a powerhouse in the UNESCO City of Film, bringing in £46.6m in one year.
The news of the sale received huge backlash and questions about the certainty of its future.
Studio 9 of Bottle Yard Studios – photo: The Bottle Yard
In October 2024, members of the council’s Strategy and Resources Committee considered a report from officers regarding the options for the future of the studios in Hengrove.
This report followed a direction given by the previous administration to investigate the options for the future ownership model of the studios in the face of a changing film and TV studio market.
Members of the committee agreed to explore the option of identifying a potential buyer for the leasehold of The Bottle Yard Studios and did that for the eight months following.
A preferred bidder was identified and the council entered a three-month exclusivity period to allow for detailed negotiations and the drawing up of fuller proposals for the potential sale.
But in this time it had not been possible to conclude an agreement for the sale of the leasehold of the studios.
Council leader Tony Dyer said: “This has been a necessarily lengthy process to ensure all possible factors are considered and that an extensive level of due diligence is carried out throughout.
“In the absence of an agreement being reached I have asked that officers conduct a further appraisal of the options for maximising the value and benefits of the studios before returning to our committee with further recommendations.
“We entered into this process with the objective of securing a sustainable future for the studios and the opportunity to grow into its huge potential.
“Those aims remain the same as does our determination to ensure that one of our city’s most successful regeneration projects continues an upward trajectory to deliver more jobs and more investment for Bristol.”
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Equity’s South West Area Councillor Rachael Fagan said: “Had regular and meaningful consultation with freelance creative workers and their union taken place, I believe this painful process could have been avoided.
“I encourage the Council to explore previously dismissed options for the Bottle Yard Studios, which prioritise public ownership, ensuring value for money for Bristol residents.
“Equity is looking forward to working with the Council to explore other options to secure a sustainable future for the studios, ensuring that freelancers both on and off screen are a part of the decision-making process at every step of the way.”
Whilst further appraisal of options takes place, the Bottle Yard Studios remains fully open for business and continues to support film and TV production in Bristol.
Bristol has developed into one of the most filmed cities in the UK since the opening of the Studios and its close partnership work with the Bristol Film Office ensures that locations across the city regularly feature in primetime TV shows and feature films.
Main photo: Bottle Yard Studios
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