4 min readA new report shows that overall film and TV production spending at The Bottle Yard Studios more than tripled following the opening of its expansion facility TBY2 in 2022, describing the Studios as “an engine of job creation and GVA for the region’s economy.”
The ‘Impact Evaluation of The Bottle Yard Studios’ report, undertaken by Nordicity & Saffery LLP for Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Mayoral Authority, explores the economic impact and benefits that investment in the Studios’ expansion has brought to Bristol and the West of England, whilst assessing its wider situational impact on areas including location filming, workforce development and environmental sustainability.
The expansion, which added three premium stages at TBY2 and increased the total stage count across the overall Bottle Yard complex to 11, was backed by £11.8m investment from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. Over the last five years, the Studios have hosted 115 film and television projects across its two sites, including 34 high-end television productions, 13 feature films, documentaries, entertainment programmes, commercials and independent productions.
The report finds that:
- Studio occupancy days (including prep, principal photography and strike days) have almost doubled since the opening of TBY2, rising from around 600 per year to more than 1,000 in 2024/25.
- Estimated inward investment spending of productions supported by the Studios each year more than tripled from around £6 million in the year before expansion, to almost £23 million in 2024/25.
- Estimated annual GVA figures for the region followed the same trajectory, rising from £4.2 million to £15.3 million over the same period.
- Additional annual employment generated by filming at the Studios increased from 57.6 FTEs before expansion, to 173.9 FTEs in 2024-25.
- The opening of TBY2 also helped boost production activity across the wider region. In Bristol, the value of location filming rose from £11.1 million in 2022-23 to a record £23.8 million in 2024-25.
- Employment among surveyed suppliers increased by 38% between 2021 and 2024, demonstrating how growth at the studios is supporting businesses throughout the regional supply chain.
- The Studios now deliver a twin offer, “the original site (TBY1) providing a much valued and now improved hub for domestic broadcaster scale productions; whilst TBY2 provides an HETV offer that hitherto did not exist in the West of England or the wider South West.”
In a blog celebrating the findings, Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, says: “[This report] shows just how significant this success story has become, not only for Bristol but for the wider West of England. It demonstrates that investment in our studios is delivering real economic value, supporting good jobs, helping local businesses grow, developing skills and sustainability, all whilst bringing global attention to our city and region.
“The benefits extend far beyond the studio gates. Local suppliers, freelancers, accommodation providers, specialist businesses and production crews all benefit when filming comes to Bristol. The report highlights how local businesses have seen increased demand and growth as a result of the studios' success, while crews report greater employment stability and more opportunities to build careers without leaving the region.
“The package of services provided by [The Bottle Yard Studios and Bristol Film Office] continues to prove highly effective in attracting filming. 2024/25 was a particularly exceptional year, which saw [them] together support production activity worth £46.6m of inward investment to the economy, the highest level ever recorded. The 2025/26 total of £28.6 million, although lower in comparison to this preceding bumper year, remains significantly stronger than historic, pre-pandemic performance.
“These figures indicate that this part of Bristol's film industry has entered a new chapter; one where it can generate substantially higher levels of economic activity, laying foundations for further long-term growth. Together we are generating investment, creating opportunities and supporting a thriving screen sector ecosystem.”
Stephen Bristow, (Partner, Film & TV, Saffery LLP) adds: "Competitive incentives, world class talent and growing production infrastructure keep the UK at the forefront of the film and high-end TV sectors. The Bottle Yard Studios is a prime example of how to turn that advantage into lasting economic growth."
The report also evaluates the Studios’ role in regional workforce development, noting its longstanding relationship with local education providers including Boomsatsuma which has a permanent base on site, and citing the BFI-funded All Set West initiative it hosts and co-delivers as “exemplar” in providing bespoke education and training that ensures productions can access a set-ready pool of local entrants from underrepresented backgrounds.
The study also highlights the Studios’ impacts in the field of environmental sustainability, both during and since TBY2’s construction period. TBY2 is the highest performing studio in the 2025-26 BAFTA Albert Studio Sustainability Standard (rated ‘Outstanding’), with a power supply supported by an award-winning 1MW solar array funded by Bristol Energy Cooperative, one of the largest community-owned PV rooftops in the UK.
Read the full report here.
