Bradford warehouse filming revival as inquiries pick up
A former wool warehouse in Bradford's Little Germany, used for shows like Peaky Blinders, is attracting new filming interest after a quiet spell.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A former wool warehouse in Bradford's Little Germany has become an unlikely go-to filming location for some of the biggest shows on British television, including Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey. The site, known for its German wool merchants and Victorian architecture, has played host to major productions and brought millions of pounds into the city.
The building was first discovered by production scouts by chance. As one local put it, "Peaky Blinders came across it because he looked the era. They must have scouts in the area. I mean, there was no signs outside. At some point they must have popped in here because it must have been open. So it was purely by chance."
Since then, the warehouse has been used as a film set, with actors such as Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, and Stephen Graham all working there. The economic impact has been significant. "It has brought millions into the city. Many millions," said Ray Brown, who knows the building like the back of his hand.
However, after a period of inactivity, the owners worried that the flow of productions had dried up and listed the venue for lease. But the situation has now turned around. "From nothing in 18 months, we've had four inquiries in the last month. So things seem to be picking up," Brown added.
The revival is welcome news for the local economy and for those who appreciate the creative reuse of historic buildings. As one observer noted, "I've never seen anything like it. What a great use of the space."
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| The filming location has brought millions of pounds into Bradford. | |
| The venue received four inquiries in the last month after 18 months with no inquiries. | |
| The warehouse has been used for productions including Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the warehouse's transformation from a historic mill into a sought-after film location, highlighting its role in major productions and the recent resurgence in interest after a quiet period. It emphasises the economic benefits to Bradford and the serendipitous discovery by production scouts.
- “Peaky Blinders came across it because he looked the era. They must have scouts in the area. I mean, there was no signs outside. At some point they must have popped in here because it must have been open. So it was purely by chance.”
- “It has brought millions into the city. Many millions.”
- “From nothing in 18 months, we've had four inquiries in the last month. So things seem to be picking up.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.