| Coordinates: | 51.4611°N -2.6081°W |
The BBC campus, Broadcasting House Bristol, is located on Whiteladies Road, Bristol. The first building to be occupied was 21/23 Whiteladies Road, which was built in 1852 and is a Grade II listed building, with four radio studios. It was formally opened by the Lord Mayor of Bristol on 18 September 1934.[1] The BBC has been on the same site ever since.
Prior to the opening of Broadcasting House, the BBC had provided a more limited service. It began broadcasting on 13 February 1923 from Marconi House in the Strand.[2] Operating as its 5WA station (this being the fifth BBC station to go on air) the new station broadcast to people living within 25 miles of Bristol. The station's initial output was very limited and even in 1931 the programme centre employed a staff of just three people, operating from a small studio over the Midland Bank in Queen's Road.[3]
Since first opening, Broadcasting House has grown to incorporate 25, 27/29, 31/33, (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 Radio & Music Production Bristol, BBC West and BBC Radio Bristol.
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.
After being formally established here in 1957, the BBC Studios Natural History Unit moved to a new home in Bridgewater House, Bristol city centre, in 2022. The Bristol portfolio of BBC Studios Factual Entertainment Productions was also relocated to Bridgewater House.[4] [5]
In May 2024 the intention to create a new base for BBC Local and BBC Audio Production on the existing Whiteladies Road site was announced. The goal is to redevelop the current OB base as a new home for the local, regional and audio teams. The rest of the Whiteladies Road site will be put up for sale.[6]
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.
Subsequently 15 Whiteladies Road, St Mary's Church in Belgrave Road, and Christchurch Hall[7] have also provided accommodation and facilities. A radio control room was built in St George's Church, Brandon Hill.
From 1986, the BBC leased warehouses on the Kingsland Trading Estate, and also (from 2002) on the Lawrence Hill Industrial Park, to provide facilities for Casualty when it was produced in Bristol. However, the production moved to Cardiff in 2011.