Expansion begins on Bristol's Bottle Yard Studios

Work has begun on the expansion plans at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios. The £12m project is backed by West of England Combined Authority investment and will add three new stages to the Studios’ portfolio.

Construction specialists ISG has been contracted by Bristol City Council to convert Hawkfield Business Park, a neighbouring industrial site less than half a mile from the existing facility, into three additional studio stages.

Measuring 20,000 sq ft, 16,000 sq ft and 7,000 sq ft, the filming spaces will be accompanied by ancillary spaces including production offices, prop stores, costume/makeup areas and break out areas, amounting to approximately 82,000 sq ft (7,600m²) of converted floor space in total. 

Planned for completion this summer, the expansion will increase the number of stages on offer at The Bottle Yard Studios from eight to 11 and is intended to maintain and grow film and TV production in Bristol and the West of England. 

The Bottle Yard Studios are a key filming facility in the UK, having recently hosting high-profile titles including Chloe, The Outlaws and Showtrial.   

Operations at The Bottle Yard’s main site have also been boosted by a further £1.6m investment by Bristol City Council in renewal and repair works that will make the Studios’ existing buildings fit for purpose for the facility’s 10-year business plan.

Overall, the investment in the current site and new studio provision at Hawkfield Business Park is expected to create 135 jobs during the refurbishment with a further 863 jobs created over the next 10 years through an accompanying Workforce Development Programme focused on high-end TV skills and targeting development of new talent in South Bristol.

l-r: Laura Aviles; Marvin Rees; WECA Mayor Dan Norris; Richard Skone, regional director, ISG. 

Laura Aviles, senior film manager for Bristol City Council, responsible for The Bottle Yard Studios & Bristol Film Office, said: “This expansion is big news for Bristol’s film and TV sector. Upping The Bottle Yard’s stage count from eight to 11 at a time when space for filming is at a premium, means we can welcome more of the productions we know are keen to film in Bristol, a city that saw a 225% increase in filming in the first quarter of the current financial year. 

“We’re making sure Bristol seizes the opportunities presented by the UK production boom with both hands, so that local crew, companies and new generations of talent can reap the benefits in employment, business and skills development.” 

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, added: “It is great to see the expansion work starting at The Bottle Yard Studios. Our £1.6m investment in the current site, coupled with the additional capacity at the Hawkfield site, once developed, will bring confidence to the city’s film and TV production sector and harness growth as the demand for on-screen content grows worldwide. The expansion will also create jobs, skills and training opportunities, support the local supply chain and be a major boost to our wider regeneration plans for south Bristol, bringing growth and opportunity into the area.”

Sustainability has been placed as a top priority of the project. Energy supply for the converted buildings will be supported by a large photovoltaic (PV) array, improved insulation and a sophisticated building management system designed to enable energy conservation. Transport around the Studios’ expanded footprint will be carbon neutral, with electric vehicle (EV) points and ample cycling provision supporting low carbon movement.