Equity wins democratic vote on Bristol studios sale

Equity won a victory for transparency and democracy at yesterday’s Bristol City Council committee session on the future of the Bottle Yard Studios. Following a locally led Equity campaign calling for increased transparency, scrutiny and accountability of the sale, Councillors backed an amendment forcing Council Officers to bring back sale plans to Council for approval. The previous plan would have delegated all power and authority to unelected council staff to push through a sale of the studios.  

Councillors sat late and unanimously backed the proposal to bring sale plans back for scrutiny and a democratic vote, but another amendment tabled by Labour Councillors seeking a pause and delay to the sale was ruled out of order.  

At the Committee’s meeting, local Equity member Ian Harris, spoke in person at the public forum section of the meeting regarding the future of the Bottle Yard Studios, which he described as the “'crown jewels' in the creative industries in Bristol”.  

After a lengthy session considering ‘exempt’ (confidential) matters in a closed session, all of the nine members of the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee voted for the sale details to be brought back for further scrutiny, rather than pass all authority to council staff.   

Questions of democratic legitimacy of sale remain

But the union remains concerned that councillors will be pressured to agree a sale due to commercial considerations, rather than being able to properly scrutinize the deal. It remains unclear whether councillors would be able to overturn their decision to sell, and explore alternative ownership or investment arrangements. In the committee last night, council officers claimed that councillors could not vote to stop the sale as they had previously voted to progress to a sale. 

Lynda Rooke, President of Equity, says: “We’re pleased that Councillors will retain oversight and control of any sale, but we’re disappointed by Bristol City Council’s vote not to pause their decision to sell Bottle Yard Studios. Our fears over the lack of transparency and scrutiny of the sale remain and we will continue to lobby the Council to ensure the long-term impact of any sale on our members in Bristol - and the wider film and TV industry - are considered.   

“The studios are a culturally important local asset but under the current sale terms, the use of the space as a film studio will only be protected for the next ten years. The Council’s decision not to delay and allow time to consider all options for its future could end up being incredibly damaging down the line. We will continue our campaign to ensure that any sale considers the impact on creative jobs and the city – which is designated a UNESCO City of Film - and the wider region.”  

Councillors met on 16 September which is the first time the sale became publicly known. Equity was not approached or consulted so the union launched a campaign and made direct contact with Councillors.  

Equity members sent almost 1000 emails to Councillors asking them to vote to pause the decision on the sale until all information and options are considered. In the days leading up to the vote, activists followed up the emails with phone calls to the relevant Councillors.  

On 11 October Equity officials met with Alex Hearn, Director Economy of Place at Bristol City Council, who confirmed that Bottle Yard Studios makes a profit and brings a return to the council. In that meeting, it 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. This includes reports exploring alternative options that were considered in January 2023.  

Bristol’s ‘premier film studio’ is currently owned by Bristol City Council and has hosted a wide range of film and TV productions, including Sherlock, Poldark, Hellboy, Crystal Maze, Broadchurch, and more. It is the only UK film studio owned and managed by a local authority.    

The Amendment passed read: ‘To authorise the Executive Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Leader, Director of Finance and the Director of Legal Services, to negotiate the terms of disposal and the final terms of contract and to consult with all relevant trade unions including those representing freelance workers. Any final decision on disposal including the final terms of the contract to then be considered by the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee.’

Statement read out by Ian Harris - representing Equity - Bristol and West of England Branch, at the start of the Committee session at 4pm on Monday 14 October: 

Whilst the process for the sale of the Bottle Yard Studio leasehold started some time ago, the public awareness of this issue is relatively new. This has highlighted the lack of transparency and engagement with all stakeholders in the sector, and the total exclusion of the mostly freelance workforce who rely on a thriving creative sector in the city for their livelihoods.  

With this recent public awareness, we feel that this decision is now being pushed through and the complexities, costs, risks and opportunities of these options, where the council's preferred option to retain the freehold and identify a purchaser for the long leasehold of the site and retaining the freehold interest, has not been fully tested.  

You are being asked to vote yes to a process that has not been given due diligence, and to vote yes to remove further scrutiny by our elected representatives going forward. Please delay this decision so this can take place and vote no today.  

One route which seems not to have been considered is whether the council fully considered other ownership/management models. The workforce has a real concern that there are no guarantees to ensure the studios cannot be sold off for other purposes if there is a short-term downturn for whoever owns the Bottle Yard Studios in 10 years' time?  

From an economic standpoint, you will have seen that the Prime minister has only this week announced his intention to hang growth in this country on the creative industries. The creative industries generate £125bn a year and form a central part of the government’s plan to grow the economy. The UK film sector is already worth £1.36bn and employs more than 195,000 people.  

How will Bristol City Council benefit if the studios are in private ownerships? Important questions such as why council officers have not engaged with any unions who represent the freelance workers at the Bottle Yard studios have not been answered.  

Only vote to continue rather than delay this process if the council officers have answered these questions: 

• What assessment has the Council made of the impact of the sale of Bottle Yard Studios on permanent and freelance job opportunities for local workers in recorded media?  
• What earnings does the Council currently make from Bottle Yard studios, and will the Council pledge to reinvest money from the potential sale of the studios into the wider creative and cultural economy and infrastructure of the city?  
• What guarantees will the Council seek from the potential new owners that the work being created at Bottle Yard Studios continues to bring a benefit to Bristol and its creative workforce both now and in the future?  

The committee report mentions social value opportunities but has nothing specific about protecting the workers in the Bottle Yard now and in the future. Workers can not only mean council employed staff.  

The report says it will look into ongoing engagement with Bristol City Council and WECA in relation to creative industries skills, training and employment. Equity has contracts and negotiates with all the major studios such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon and so on. Why would the council staff not seek out our opinion on how to protect workers and on opportunities to retain the Bottle Yard Studios and retain its income and future potential income?  

Please retain the committee's scrutiny of the process by voting no, and in doing so retain the transparency and oversight that is so vital to make sure that an important asset and part of the 'crown jewels' in the creative industries in Bristol and the wider South West does not diminish in the private sector.