9/11/2010: New Film Studio The Bottle Yard Opens in Bristol

The opening of The Bottle Yard, a 300,000 sq ft film production facility in the site of a former Harvey’s bottling factory and warehouse in Bristol was announced in November 2010 by the South West Regional Development Agency and Bristol City Council, with the news that director Alistair Siddon was to shoot his new film, The Dark Half, there.

The Bottle Yard was heralded as the largest UK production facility outside of London, and it was hoped it would become a home for both domestic and foreign film and TV productions. The site, which offered filmmakers internal build spaces, workshops, production offices, private roadways and filming locations, was to be funded by regional screen agency South West Screen.

Kip Meek, the chairman of South West Screen, described the new facility as a ‘real asset to the South West’s offering for film and television. It is providing space at a time when there is real demand from both domestic and international productions, it will create jobs for our local workforce and generate valuable economic benefit for our industry.’ Colin Brown, the UK Film Council’s British film commissioner, commented, ‘Space on the sheer scale of The Bottle Yard with its proximity to London and good accessibility, is incredibly valuable and in real demand. This new facility represents a significant addition to what the UK can offer international producers.’

Two other films funded by South West Screen, Eight Minutes Idle and Flying Blind, were also scheduled to be produced at the new studio.