Bristol’s flourishing film and television industry contributed a whopping £30m to the city’s economy over the last financial year, new figures from the city’s Film Office show.
Disney’s smash hit Rivals – an adaption of the 1988 novel by Jilly Cooper – and BBC comedy thriller The Outlaws are among productions fuelling the region’s production boon.
The shows, along with upcoming releases The Road Trip, The Crow Girl and The Forsyte Saga were filmed at the Bristol City Council-owned Bottle Yard Studios or on location around the city.
A total of 32 major productions were assisted by Bristol Film Office and the Bottle Yard Studios between 2023-24, of which nine were feature films and 23 were high-end TV productions. Some 730 filming days were supported in the studio and on location over the reporting period.
The economic impact figure of £30m is almost 50% higher than the £20.1m recorded the year previously, as it was calculated using new methodology by Creative England’s Filming in England team. The approach analyses total production expenditure based on where it was spent and the classification of a local authority’s location.
Councillor Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, said: “We know that since the pandemic some areas of the film industry have struggled, however it’s fantastic to see that the latest television and film hits are attracted to and supported in Bristol. A huge congratulations to all those who contribute to making our local sector such a huge global hit.”
Laura Aviles, head of film at Bristol City Council, added: “We know it has been tough for many freelancers working in different parts of the film and TV industry, particularly unscripted. But these figures underline how Bristol has continued to push forward its reputation as a trusted home for high-calibre scripted productions.”
Other shows filmed in the city or at the studios over the reporting period include Daisy May Cooper and Selin Hizli’s BBC One comedy thriller Am I Being Unreasonable and series five of CBBC’s Enid Blyton drama Malory Towers.
Rising numbers of Bristol venues, charities and businesses are working with Bristol Film Office to be introduced to productions as potential filming locations as a way to create new revenue streams. Locations featured in popular productions often become film tourism attractions, drawing visitors from around the world – and increasing footfall.
Recent examples include Aerospace Bristol which featured in Rivals and St Werburgh’s Farm which appeared in series three of The Outlaws.