It’s full steam ahead for the UK’s first Universal theme park just an hour away from London after the government approved the development.
The massive new attraction – predicted to bring in £50 billion to the UK – is slated open its doors on a site outside Bedford in 2031.
The resort is predicted to bring in £50,000,000,000 to the UK economy and will make the English market town the first place to host a Universal park in Europe.
As well as a range of thrill rides, the 476-acre former brickworks will host a retail and entertainment complex and a hotel with 500 rooms.
Some 55,000 visitors are expected to visit on peak days, although not all locals are happy about what that could mean for nearby roads.
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What do we know about the Universal Studios theme park in Bedford?
Plans unveiled by Universal show the entrance gates leading to a large plaza, built around a fountain that appeared to feature a sculpture of the studio’s famous planet Earth logo.
Visitors would then walk along a street to reach different areas scattered around a large central lake including three very twisty rollercoasters – with one looping over the water’s surface.
The theme park that opens in six years’ time could look very different from the artists’ impression, but some clues are offered by the other five versions around the world.
Several have rides based around popular franchises like Jurassic Park and The Fast and the Furious, or Universal monster movies like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy.
Meanwhile, some aspects could be borrowed from the Universal Kids Resort currently under construction in the Texan city of Frisco, which will be catered towards young families.
Plans also show structures in the park will be as tall as 20 and 30m, with taller structures creating a skyline with ‘visual interest’
BBC News has reported the park will feature several special attractions celebrating British culture, including some based on James Bond, The Lord of the Rings and Paddington.
One blockbuster franchise that will not feature, according to the BBC, is Harry Potter.
While zones based on JK Rowling’s tales form a major element in other Universal Studios sites around the planet, the Bedford theme park will be located just 30 miles north of the Potter-heavy Warner Bros Studio Tour outside Watford.
To ensure the flock of tourists can make it inside, there will be enough parking to fit 7,000 cars, as well as space for families to arrive by coach and bicycle.
How do locals feel about it?
It depends on who you ask. Speaking to Metro, Sharn Evans, the manager of Kiddi Caru Day Nursery, said: ‘I can’t get to America so bringing Florida to me is great.
‘I think it is exciting for the area, I can only see benefits.’
Eleanor Noyce, who grew up in the nearby village of Hitchin, said: ‘My memories of Bedford mainly stretch to fawning over the hottest 2010s fashions in the likes of Topshop and Miss Selfridge and being terrorised by swans near the River Ouse.
‘It’ll be nice for young people growing up there now to have something a little more interesting to do.’
It’ll be nice for the high street, too, Jane Guy, co-owner of Macmillan Hairdressing, told Metro.
‘Money from tourism should offer us a massive boost, it should bring footfall back to the center, more employment and new clientele will open new businesses,’ she said.
But Claire Alexander, 41, and a mum of two, told Metro: ‘I am worried about what it looks like for us, with the roads and traffic.’
A social media user added: ‘On recent experience, I cannot see Bedford Borough [Council] able to keep control on these things let alone bigger problems.’
Another said: ‘Can’t repair roads, how will it cope with a higher number of drivers on the roads?
But Mayor of Bedford Borough Tom Wootton said in the council’s announcement on Tuesday that the theme park ‘will be something that has a huge, positive impact’ on the region.
The council’s chief executive added: ‘This truly puts Bedford on the map as a global destination for tourism, creativity and innovation for generations to come.’
What else is there to do in Bedfordshire?
The new theme park will almost certainly become the biggest draw for visitors coming to the East England county of Bedfordshire.
But it’ll be far from the only thing to do in the area, if tourists tire of corkscrews and long queues.
Whipsnade Zoo, west of Luton, is the biggest zoo in the UK (in terms of area, not number of animals).
East of Milton Keynes, you’ll find the Woburn Safari Park which is the top-rated Bedfordshire attraction on Tripadvisor.
Beyond those two big hitters, Universal Studios will also face competition from the Shuttleworth Collection aviation museum in Biggleswade and the scenic Dunstable Downs.
Metro has had a go at predicting the Bedford-themed rides that could be on the way if the motion picture behemoth decides to take a bit of local inspiration – have a read here.
Metro visited Universal’s new park before it opened – here’s our verdict
After 10 hours of adventuring in 33°C Floridian heat, let me take you on a wild ride through magical worlds of wizardry, fire-breathing dragons — and the best rollercoaster I’ve ever been on.
At every turn the detail is so extraordinary, my favourite part was watching it all while I queued.
Arriving at Epic Universe in Florida, the excitement was palpable.
A chorus of ‘have an epic day!’ was cheered, and staff members told me they had completed a 10-day training course to learn all there is to know about the park the world has waited for.
But could it really be as ‘epic’ as everyone was promising?
Epic Universe has a cosmic theme, and that’s most obvious in Celestial Park, the main hub which is officially being referred to as ‘the connecting world between worlds’. It’s where the ‘portals’ to the four other worlds branch off from.
The park is beautiful — all greens, teals and stars — with the turquoise dome of Constellation Carousel in the center.
Read Kristina Beanland’s full story about her experience here.
What has Keir Starmer said about the deal?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has welcomed the park, saying the attraction will create around 28,000 jobs – split into 20,000 during the construction phase and 8,000 once visitors start coming through the turnstiles.
He said: ‘It is not just about numbers, it’s about securing real opportunities for people in our country.’
Universal expects the park to generate more than £50 billion for the UK economy: £35.1 billion during the construction period and first 20 years of operation, and £14 billion generated from taxes in the same period.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also said the new theme park is as ‘a vote of confidence in Britain as a place to do business’.
Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith described the announcement as ‘great news for Britain’, but said the Conservatives should be credited with securing the land and bringing forward plans.
He added: ‘We’re pleased that, despite labor’s economic mismanagement, Universal Studios has committed to investing in Bedfordshire.’
Mark Woodbury, chief executive of Universal Destinations & Experiences, said: ‘Bringing a world-class theme park and resort to the United Kingdom is a tremendous opportunity and is part of our strategy to introduce the Universal brand and experiences to new audiences around the globe.’
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