U.K.’s Bray Film Studios Sets Expansion Plans

Bray Film Studios in the U.K. has been granted planning permission for a major expansion.

The multi-million-pound scheme has received a resolution to grant permission from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The expansion of the 70-year-old facility includes nine new soundstages, workshops, production support facilities and the permanent retention of a rehearsal building. The studio is located on the banks of the River Thames, 26 miles from Central London. It expects to benefit from more than £1 billion production spend over the next decade. The expansion will generate close to 1,500 direct jobs both on- and off-site.

“To see the revival and continued expansion of a studio as iconic as Bray Film Studios is hugely positive for the U.K. screen industries,” said Adrian Wootton OBE, chief executive of the British Film Commission. “It’s an exciting time for our sector. The demand for content is at an all-time high, significant stage space developments and expansions are in the pipeline across the U.K., and innovative partnerships between public and commercial screen organizations are working to address the increasing demand for skills. This investment into Bray Film Studios is an important step in harnessing these opportunities and will hugely help in continuing to attract major international production, investment and employment to the U.K.”

Linda Teare, director of Bray Film Studios, added, “We’re thrilled to be welcoming film and high-end television productions back to Bray. With our investment to date, our location and filmmaking history spanning over 70 years, we’re in a great position to respond to the demand for studio space and support Britain’s creative industries. It’s wonderful to be reviving this historic studio and preserving a part of Britain’s rich film history.”

Elaine Sargent, director of Bray Film Studios, continued, “It is an exciting chapter in the resurrection of Bray Film Studios. The scheme will have a positive impact by boosting the local economy and providing thousands of jobs. We look forward to championing the next generation of filmmakers and reclaiming Bray Film Studios’ position among the ranks of the great British film studios.”

Bray is best known as the original home of Hammer horror films, including The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Inspector Morse and Agatha Christie’s Poirot were also shot at Bray. Since a recent restoration, Bray has housed the BBC/Netflix production of Dracula, among other titles.