Bectu welcomes the decision to maintain Studios A and B at Pacific Quay as part of BBC Scotland

We are delighted to update members that the review of options for the future management of the BBC’s studio facilities in Glasgow has concluded that the transfer of Pacific Quay studios to BBC Studioworks will not take effect. The BBC’s analysis of the potential transfer showed that this made the “best financial and operational sense”.

The recent reports of the transfer of control of a BBC Scotland studio to the subsidiary BBC Studioworks had raised serious concerns in the Scottish broadcast industry, with its workers facing job losses on a large scale and loss of skills and training in the sector. The autonomy of the Scottish production was called into question, as the transfer threatened to restrict access to the studios as decisions over accessibility would be made in London.

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s commitment in First Ministers Questions to speaking with Bectu representatives, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Culture Angus Robertson, met with Bectu Scottish Official Paul McManus and two of Bectu’s BBC Stewards to discuss how jobs in the sector could be saved. We would like to extend our gratitude to MSP Ross Greer who facilitated the meeting and maintained pressure on the BBC to drop the transfer.

During the meeting, BBC Director General Tim Davie restated his commitment to moving more work to Scotland. Whilst Bectu naturally welcomes any additional work in Scotland, Paul McManus reminded the Cabinet Secretary of similar unfulfilled promises made in recent years and called on BBC Scotland management to rethink its approach.

Bectu Scottish Official Paul McManus says: “We are delighted that following pressure from Bectu, the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Government, BBC bosses have seen sense and decided to retain production capabilities at Pacific Quay. As we warned, the proposed transfer of control to BBC Studioworks would have had a detrimental impact, not just on Pacific Quay, but jobs and skills in the wider Scottish production sector. We will now focus on working with the BBC on increasing production activity and bolstering Scotland’s thriving creative sector.”

BBC Scotland are now looking at how they can work with the new studio facility at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, with the aim of increasing production activity in Scotland. Bectu offers full support of any initiative to bolster creativity and develop the skillset of Scottish production workers, and will continue to protect the jobs of our members in the sector.