A deal to sell off Bristol film and television studios The Bottle Yard has failed to complete after months of negotiations.
Bristol City Council said on Monday (July 21) it had "not been possible" to conclude an agreement for the leasehold sale of the Hengrove-based studios, despite three months of negotiations with its preferred bidder.
The Bottle Yard is the only council-owned studios in the Ƶ and has hosted major productions including Poldark, Broadchurch and Sherlock. It is a cornerstone of Bristol’s Unesco City of Film designation.
The local authority's announcement comes nine months after councillors approved the sale of the site, from Equity union members concerned about the studios' long-term future.
The council says a "further appraisal of options" will now take place, with The Bottle Yard remaining open for business while a decision is made.
Councillor Tony Dyer, chair of the strategy and resources committee at Bristol City Council, said: “I’m grateful to officers who have engaged with and undertaken the detailed process of taking the studios to market and negotiating on a potential sale with bidders.
"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.”
The Bottle Yard Studios was established in 2010 and underwent a major expansion in 2022, with a £13.5m facility opening that year. At the time, the council said The Bottle Yard would help create more than 1,000 jobs over a decade.
Latest figures from Bristol Film Office show that film and high-end TV production at The Bottle Yard Studios, and on location in Bristol, was worth more than £46m to Bristol's economy last year. This marks a 55% increase in the positive economic impact compared to the previous 12 months.
Councillor Ani Townsend, co-chair of the Bristol One City Culture Board, added: “It's vital that if we are to continue to see the film and TV sector deliver positive social and economic benefits for Bristol then we must maximise the potential of the studios.
"I look forward to engaging with officers, partners and fellow councillors in the next steps for the studios.”
