Warehouse hire UK: rates by city (£60–500/day range)
What you actually pay for a day in a warehouse, broken down by city — from Hackney Wick to Leith.
Warehouse hire is the most fungible line in a location budget. The same 2,000 sq ft of raw industrial space costs roughly three times as much in east London as it does in east Glasgow, and the visual difference on screen is often minimal. Understanding the regional rate card changes what’s achievable on a given budget.
What “warehouse hire” means in practice
A bookable warehouse space for film production is typically: a raw or semi-raw industrial unit with clear floor space, access to single-phase (and sometimes three-phase) power, some form of vehicle access, and no strict hourly check-out time. It is not a kit room, a lighting rig, or a set. You bring everything and remove everything.
The rates below are approximate. Prices vary within each city by postcode, building condition, included amenities, and the owner’s familiarity with production pricing.
London: £200–500/day
East London contains the UK’s largest concentration of bookable industrial spaces within reach of central facilities. Hackney Wick Warehouses in E9 is the most-referenced cluster — a mix of artist studios and production spaces in former factory buildings, many renting at daily rates from £250 upwards. Bow, Bermondsey and Deptford offer similar stock at similar rates.
Within London, anything genuinely under £200 per day for a usable warehouse will involve compromises: difficult vehicle access, no loading dock, noise restrictions, or shared occupancy. Build those into your plan rather than hoping they won’t matter.
Manchester: £100–300/day
Manchester’s industrial inheritance is substantial and some of it is still cheap. Mayfield Depot — the former railway goods shed — is now events-priced rather than raw-industrial, but the Ancoats and Castlefield areas contain converted mills and warehouses where day hire rates can be significantly lower. 1830 Warehouse at Castlefield is a Museum of Science and Industry venue — priced at venue rates, but historically significant.
For productions needing raw industrial texture at under £200 per day, Manchester is consistently viable in a way that London is not.
Glasgow: £80–250/day
Glasgow’s post-industrial west and east ends contain a large supply of warehouse and studio space that hasn’t fully been priced upwards by gentrification. Rebel Loop Studios and Broadscope Studios operate at the organised end of the market, but raw unit hire in the Govan and Anderston areas runs at rates that can be half of equivalent London prices. For productions shooting in Scotland, the infrastructure is good and the cost advantage is real.
Leeds: £70–200/day
The Holbeck Urban Village area and the canal corridor around Granary Wharf contain former woollen and industrial mills available at daily rates. Aire Street Studio Leeds operates in this zone. The city’s lower cost of living reflects in its location pricing.
Bristol: £100–280/day
Bristol’s industrial estate areas in Bedminster, St Philips and Brislington provide warehouse stock. Factory Studios Bristol and Tobacco Factory Bristol are the best-known options; the Tobacco Factory is large and has strong character. For smaller units, the St Philips Causeway area has independent landlords who are accustomed to production enquiries.
Liverpool: £80–200/day
The Baltic Triangle — Liverpool’s creative district between the docks and the city centre — has a growing inventory of industrial spaces available for hire. Fabric Studios Liverpool is the most established production-focused option.
Edinburgh: £80–180/day
Leith is Edinburgh’s answer to Hackney Wick — former docklands with a mix of working trades and creative tenants. Freakworxx Film Studio Leith operates here. Rates are lower than comparable London spaces, and the creative cluster is growing.
The decision matrix
If your script demands a specific city’s look, you’re locked into that market. If the warehouse is a neutral interior — a container for your drama rather than a character in itself — choose by rate. Glasgow and Leeds are routinely fifty percent cheaper than London for equivalent raw square footage.