Broadcasting House, Bristol

Broadcasting House, Bristol

The BBC campus, Broadcasting House Bristol, is located on Whiteladies Road, Bristol at 51°27′40″N 2°36′29″W / 51.461°N 2.608°W. The first building to be occupied was 21/23 Whiteladies Road, which was built in 1852 and is a Grade II listed building,^[1] with four radio studios. It was formally opened by the Lord Mayor of Bristol on 18 September 1934.^[2] The BBC has been on the same site ever since.

Main site

Since first opening Broadcasting House has grown to incorporate 25,^[3] 27/29,^[4] 31/33,^[5](all also Grade II listed) and 33A&B Whiteladies Road, as well as nos 1, 3, 5, 7/9, 11/13, 15/17 and 19 Tyndall's Park Road. It now provides offices and technical facilities for the BBC Natural History Unit, Bristol factual, network radio, BBC West and BBC Radio Bristol.^[2]

Network radio studios, a network television studio (Studio B -Green Screen Virtual Studio), a regional television studio (Studio A), local radio studios, a combined television and radio newsroom, and an outside broadcast base have all been built on the site.

In 1986 33A&B Whiteladies Road were demolished to make way for a new development providing post-production facilities, a restaurant, library and headquarters offices for the South and West Region, as well as a new reception for Broadcasting House. The new building was opened by Chris Patten on 19 January 1990.

Other Bristol facilities

At the time of World War II the BBC also had radio facilities at Redland Park Hall, All Saints Hall, the Chapter House, College Road, Clifton Parish Hall, the Cooperative Hall and the Clifton Rocks Railway.

In more recent times 15 Whiteladies Road, St Mary's Church in Belgrave Road, and Christchurch Hall^[6] have also provided accommodation and facilities. A radio control room was built in St George's Church, Brandon Hill.

The BBC leased warehouses on the Kingsland Trading Estate since 1986, and also on the Lawrence Hill Industrial Park since 2002, to provide facilities and servicing for Casualty (TV series) when it was produced in Bristol. However, the production has now moved to Cardiff.

References

1. "Nos.21 and 23 Broadcasting House". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
2. "The BBC in Bristol". BBC. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
3. "No 25". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
4. "Nos 27 and 29". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
5. "Nos.31 and 33". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
6. "Christchurch Studios". Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Retrieved 26 January 2011.

External links

• BBC Bristol (Tour information)

Coordinates: 51°27′40″N 2°36′29″W / 51.4611°N 2.6080°W