Equity is demanding that Bristol City Council keeps its promise to engage in ‘real and meaningful’ consultation about the proposed sale of Bottle Yard Studios.
Equity officials have written to Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, to remind him that councillors promised last month to hold meaningful consultation with Equity and other unions and to bring the final decision on the Studios’ future back to elected councillors for a democratic vote.
The letter makes it clear that any meaningful consultation must include:
- A face-to-face meeting between Equity and the council leader to outline the union’s concerns.
- Sharing of the relevant research documents used by the council to reach their decision.
- An opportunity to present the union’s views to the full committee at a time and in a manner that allows for a meaningful discussion ahead of any vote to progress the sale.
In September 2024 Bristol City Council announced plans to sell the film studio. Bottle Yard Studios, which is currently the only UK film studio to be owned by a local authority, has hosted a wide range of film and TV productions, including Sherlock, Poldark, Hellboy, Crystal Maze, and Broadchurch.
Equity campaigned against a rushed sale of the studios and called on councillors to pause the sale to ensure that all options are considered to protect jobs and the wider cultural sector. Over 1,000 emails were sent by Equity members and supporters to councillors asking for the sale to be delayed.
Equity officials have met with Alex Hearn, director economy of place at Bristol City Council, to discuss the proposal. At the meeting Mr Hearn confirmed Bottle Yard Studios makes a profit and brings a return to the council. It also became clear that many of the financial workings, reports and strategy documents have not been available to the public, and possibly even elected Councillors in the current administration.
Bristol councillors backed an amendment forcing officers to bring back sale plans to council for approval. The councillors agreed that any sale could only be possible after consultation ‘with all relevant trade unions including those representing freelance workers’.
Equity is now calling on Bristol City Council to keep the promise to engage in meaningful consultation and allow transparency, scrutiny and accountability before plans to sell Bottle Yard Studios progress any further.
The letter states: “We are grateful to councillors (in particular) in the Green Group and Labour for listening to our concerns, and we are writing to follow up on this commitment to consult. As the union who represents the vast majority of creative workers who will find freelance work at Bottle Yard, we would appreciate real and meaningful consultation about what this proposed sale means.”
Council leader Mr Dyer said: “The recent vote taken on the future of The Bottle Yard Studios is an important one for not only the city’s film and TV industry but for the sector across the region and further afield. The studios have been one of the most prominent drivers in the international success of our local industry and a catalyst for new jobs and opportunity along the sector supply chain. Bristol’s place on the international Film and TV map is firmly established and the benefits to the local economy are writ large.
“The discussion we’ve had with officers and my fellow committee members has identified that despite the studios’ success, the current ownership model means it has hit a glass ceiling. As the only local authority managed production studio in the country, certain opportunities are beyond the facility meaning the brakes are gently squeezed on the potential economic, social and reputational value The Bottle Yard Studios could deliver for the city. It’s clear that by unlocking the potential of private investment, that potential has a greater chance of being realised and the opportunity for more jobs, economic returns for the city, and bigger and larger Bristol productions appearing on our screens.
“Each member of the committee is aware of some concerns raised about the move towards selling the long leasehold and I welcome the opportunity afforded to us to air these thoughts and discuss each with officers. Our recent meeting was the culmination of nearly two years’ work to explore the options for growing the studios and delivering greater benefits to the regional sector and the city.
“Officers have kept directly-employed staff informed of the proposals and engaged with the unions representing this group. Now we are able to move forward, officers have been instructed to pursue negotiating a deal that secures the long-term future of The Bottle Yard Studios as a film and TV studios for the region.”