Pebble Mill

Pebble Mill in Edgbaston, Birmingham was the BBC's base in the Midlands from 1971 to 2004, and developed a name as a strong producer of factual programmes, including Top Gear, The Clothes Show, Countryfile and Gardeners' World. Its name became familiar to viewers across the country through the daily lunchtime chat show Pebble Mill at One (1972-1996) presented from the foyer of the studios. It was also the home of the long-running radio soap The Archers.

The BBC acquired the lease for the nine-acre Pebble Mill site in 1951, but progress was slow - a model for the building was presented to the UK press in 1962, but construction only began in 1967. In the meantime, production continued at the small Gosta Green studios. The new Birmingham Broadcasting Centre was opened by HRH Princess Anne on the 10th November 1971. The site had eight floors of offices, TV and Radio studios, two canteens and was well-known for its gardens. 

Pebble Mill's cavernous colour studios, particular the huge Studio A, made it popular for taping dramas in the era when dramas were produced in multi-camera setups. These included All Creatures Great and Small, Boys from the Blackstuff, Doctors, Dangerfield, Triangle, Howards' Way, Juliet Bravo, The Brothers and Dalziel and Pascoe and children's programmes such as Rentaghost. 

However, changes in the way dramas were produced and a strategy to move production to two hubs in Bristol and Salford Quays meant the large Pebble Mill complex became surplus to requirement. BBC Midlands Today and The Archers moved to the smaller Mailbox buildings in central Birmingham in 2005 and the site was demolished. Meanwhile drama production was moved to the new Drama Village at Selly Oak.