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BBC News
24-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Universal UK: Century-long plans made for Bedford theme park
A new theme park is "just the start" of Universal's century-long plans for its UK site, the company's president has US firm bought a former brickworks near Bedford which it plans to transform into a 476-acre attraction that will draw in 8.5 million annual visitors by 2031."We look at these projects as really long term projects," said Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, speaking for the first time since the announcement."We try to think about the next 100 years." He added: "We have a lot more land that we intend to develop... in ways that bring more people to the area and hopefully is beneficial for everybody."Phase one of this project is the theme park, a 500-room hotel, some restaurants that people can visit without buying a theme park ticket. "This is just the start of the development in the Bedford area on our land that we're going to own." Destination in Europe Universal theme parks already exist in America, China, Singapore and Thompson insisted that the UK attraction would be the only Universal site in Europe - and not the first of many."This is probably our real destination in Europe, and we do expect to draw from all over Europe," he said."In fact, we expect in our first year that about 30% of our visitors will come from outside of the UK. So we think we're going to be a major driver for tourism to the country."A country with the population and the tourist visitation of the UK should have probably three of the top 25 theme parks in the world."Right now they don't have any - and our smallest park that we operate anywhere in the world draws nine million people."So we feel very confident that demand is there." Why Bedford? Before choosing to build at the former brickworks, the company had considered other locations across Thompson described Kempston Hardwick as "the perfect site for us"."It's just a fantastic location, and the site was flat and already slated for development, and we knew from the very beginning we had incredibly strong support from the people in Bedford."The government's decision to back East West Rail and Luton Airport's expansion plans were positive factors, the firm Thompson was not worried when it was pointed out East West Rail was not expected to be completed until the 2030s - and Luton Airport's annual passenger target of 32 million was set for 2043."The Oxford link to our site on the East West Rail should be completed by 2030," he said."Already London Luton Airport is drawing 18 million passengers a year. So the recent news about their planning approval for the expansion is just an extra bonus for us as well."The nearest access road, the A421, suffered severe flooding last year after heavy rainfall, but this did not phase the Orlando-based executive."We have plans to work on the access ramp from the A421 directly into our site, and we will be addressing some of the issues you mentioned on that." Local jobs During construction, Universal is expecting to create 20,000 jobs, with a peak of about 5,000 workers on estimates that 80% of those jobs will come from Bedford, central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton company does not expect to struggle to fill those roles and is working to ensure jobs are available for local Thompson said: "We'll work with all of the local colleges, universities, and schools to try to make sure that we can help develop the skills that we need to attract those people."The reason we went to Kimberley College and to Bedford College for our public meetings was to emphasise how we want to work with those institutions and others to develop curricula that helps create the jobs."We've done a lot of research on both the number of people during the construction period and the number of people during operations, and we believe that in Bedford and the surrounding boroughs and the surrounding area, that we will have no trouble drawing that number of people."He said half of the management team based in Orlando started as hourly workers and there would be similar opportunities for career development for the young people of Bedford. Transforming Bedford Mr Thompson said he expected the theme park would be "transformational" for the Bedford explained that at other parks, tourists had travelled from around the world, stayed in nearby hotels and made use of local amenities."We want people to stay overnight, because that's really a beautiful area," he said."I think people coming from London will come out and have a little bit of a staycation there for the weekend."There's quite a lot of fun things to do in the surrounding area, so I think, and that will only grow."I think we'll see more hotels, and I think there are many local businesses that are going to benefit from the park because we don't do everything ourselves."Whether it's a local bakery, electrician, plumber security services, construction people - there's just going to be ongoing work on the site. And we're going to be outsourcing a lot of that work to the local community. " What will be in the park? The company confirmed planning documents would be submitted to the government "in the next couple of months", with construction still targeted to start in Thompson smiled when asked if those documents could include hints at what film franchises would inspire attractions at the park."We've had a lot of speculation about what's in the park," he said. "We always enjoy the speculation."We think it's very entertaining to see what people would like to see and what they expect to see in the park."But we won't comment on the specific properties or lands in the park until we get a lot closer to opening."He paid tribute to the people of the borough, adding: "This project would not be happening if it weren't for the enthusiasm of the people in the Bedford area."They deserve incredible thanks from us for their support at every stage of the project." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
The Observer view : Singapore, LA... Bedford. New theme park will be a welcome boost for Britain
There may be Minions ahead. While Universal has yet to reveal the exact nature of the rides and attractions it has planned for its new theme park, the fact remains that the US entertainment giant's first European venture will be in… Kempston Hardwick, near Bedford. 'We told the council that out of all the locations in Europe, we'd chosen Bedford to build a world-class park, and the excitement was there from day one,' Page Thompson, the president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, told the Bedford Independent. Not everyone is overjoyed at the news of the 476-acre development, which does not yet have planning permission and is slated for completion in 2031 (although the company hopes work will begin next year). Even though much of the amusement park will be built on the site of a former brickworks, residents have objected to the loss of adjoining agricultural land; to the probable rise in house prices, leading to an increase in rents and the number of homes being let on Airbnb; and to the fact that the park will be of little benefit to the people of Bedford themselves. But these voices are in the minority. Universal says its local consultation received 6,000 responses; 92% showed support. And you can see why. The government predicts that the project will attract 8.5 million visitors a year, boost Britain's economy by £50bn and create 20,000 construction jobs, with another 8,000 operational roles once it is up and running. The site is well connected, too, with more than half the UK population living within two hours' travel. The project links with other work around the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, including support for the expansion of Luton airport. Then, there is the kudos: as well as Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, its flagship theme park in Orlando, Florida, and its 2021 venture in Beijing, Universal also runs resorts in Japan and Singapore. Bedford is in illustrious company. Yet the facts and figures tell only half the story. Anyone who has been to Warner Bros' The Making of Harry Potter – tagline 'Walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter and explore the wonders of the wizarding world' – can attest to the magic of a truly inspirational, themed experience: the Forbidden Forest, with trees over 12ft in diameter; the Potions Classroom, all 950 of them; the door to the Chamber of Secrets; the Quidditch costumes and the broomstick rides. The boy wizard and his mates are unlikely to feature in the Bedford extravaganza, but, according to reports, themes in the frame are James Bond, Paddington Bear, Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and, yes, Minions. Hard is the heart that does not flutter at the prospect of a Bond-style stunt show (could King Charles perhaps be persuaded to follow in the aerial footsteps of his mother at the 2012 London Olympics?), a dinosaur-infested rollercoaster ride, or a marmalade sandwich-infused adventure. Keir Starmer has certainly got the bug. Announcing the news at a college near Bedford, he revealed how his two teenage children were unusually interested in what he had to say, adding: 'People have said to me government will be a rollercoaster – and I can testify to that. I don't think this is quite what they meant… but this will… bring joy to Britain.' Sign up to Observed Analysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers after newsletter promotion As the world is ever more beset by tyrants and tariffs, the need for innocent pleasures becomes paramount. Six years away it may be, but Universal's new theme park beckons… in Kempston Hardwick, near Bedford.
