Look inside Bristol's huge new multi-million pound film and TV studio

Bottle Yard Studios is the largest studio in the West Country and it has just got even bigger Credit: Bottle Yard Studios

A film and TV studio in Bristol has just opened a £13.2 million site, in a bid to attract big budget productions.

Bristol's Bottle Yard Studios opened in 2010 and is the largest studio in the West Country.

The expansion will mean more productions can be filmed simultaneously, taking the total number of stages available at the site from eight to 11.

Over the past decade the studio has accommodated more than 70 film and TV productions, including programmes like The Outlaws.

Credit: Bottle Yard Studios

Laura Aviles, Senior Film Manager, Bristol City Council says the expansion will provide new opportunities for filming productions in the city.

"Netflix, Disney, Amazon this is the type of facility we hope they'll find attractive", she said.

"It's a one stop shop which has everything they need - productions and streamers who want to use locations in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, we are the gateway to the South West so they can base here send their crews out and build their sets here and film on site."

  • Laura Aviles speaking to ITV West Country about the new facility

Studio spaces are in huge demand mainly down to high-end television drama.

It is one of the fastest growing parts of the UK economy worth around £5.6 billion pounds per year.

The new site has already got its first customer, a drama called Rivals on Disney Plus. 

Producer Eliza Mellor previously worked at Bottle Yard Studios with Poldark. She says she's already impressed with what the new studios have to offer.

"It's always very difficult to get any studio space and what's happened over the years is you tend to go into these warehouses, which are just not set up for filming, but we make them work and we adapt them", she said.

"It's just brilliant that the Bottle Yard have built this purpose built studio spaces because they will be so in demand. 

"We feel very lucky that we're going in there first, but I'm sure they've got a lot of people lined up, because there just isn't enough studio space in this country."

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “The Bottle Yard Studios, our Hollywood in Hengrove, continues to go from strength-to-strength. Filming in Bristol is booming – testament to Channel 4’s decision to relocate to our city in 2018.

“This year, the sector contributed almost £21 million to our economy.

"New productions by Disney+ and other major streamers and commissioners will only bolster our global growth. Shows like The Outlaws have looked and sounded like Bristol and TBY2 will help us punch above our weight in film and TV. "

Bosses say they have had more big names wanting to book their new studio space but are not allowed to say who.

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