Fiona Francombe, Site Director and a driving
force behind The Bottle Yard Studios, worked
for many years as a location manager based
in Bristol. She recalls a constant struggle to
find warehouse space where sets could be
built and productions could be based —
expensive and frustrating work.
Francombe had been asked to look at The
Bottle Yard to see if it could serve as a viable
space for shooting BBC show
Casualty
.Dur-
ing her first visit it was still an oper-
ating winery and bottling plant,
complete with forklift trucks
and HGVs. When she walked
into one of the Tank Houses,
however, she realised immediately
that it could be the perfect place for
filmmaking.“These were big buildings
with height, no natural light and indi-
vidual spaces; it was an absolute
gift,” Francombe says. Indeed, the
seven-acre site ticked every box, offer-
ing space for offices, storage and con-
struction as well as for shooting.
Six years on and The Bottle
Yard, owned by Bristol City
Council, is thriving, hosting
prestigious TV dramas such
as
Sherlock
,
Wolf Hall
,
Pol-
dark
and
Galavant
.
“In these cash-
straitened
times,
[The Bottle Yard] is
covering its costs.
It is cost neutral for the council and the rip-
ple effect is huge,” Francombe notes of the
employment and investment the site is driv-
ing into Bristol.
There are currently eight stages, including
a green-screen studio, and the space is being
further refined. At present, the emphasis is on
TV production but Francombe makes it clear
The Bottle Yard would welcome feature films
of all sizes.
Sue Woodward, founder of The Space Project
and Sharp Project, has helped revitalise the
creative industries in Manchester.Sharp Project
was set up in 2010 as a centre for the creative
and digital sector in the city, housing creative
companies, tech start-ups and drama compa-
nies in the same building.
Soon, TV dramas including
Fresh Meat
and
Sky 1’s
Mount Pleasant
were shooting in the city.
It became apparent that more facilities were
needed as production volume increased. This
led to the creation of The Space Project, a “pro-
duction stage complex for the north of Eng-
land”, as it bills itself. Fully operational
since late 2014, it has hosted produc-
tions including
Dragon’s Den
,
Cradle to
Grave
,
No Offence
and
Houdini & Doyle
.
The purpose-built Manchester facil-
ity boasts soundproofing and super-fast
internet. There has been huge public
investment — close to $57m (£40m)
— in the scheme as part of the gov-
ernment’s Northern Powerhouse ini-
tiative, and Woodward is in the pro-
cess of securing an additional $23m
(£16m) for further site expansion.
BRISTOL
MANCHESTER
Sherlock
Houdini
& Doyle
The Bottle Yard Studios
A screening room at The Space Project (below)
Sue Woodward, founder of The Space Project
65
REGIONAL UPDATE
SPOTLIGHT
