Amid a tariff trade war Between the UK and the US, the British government has unveiled new proposals for Universal to construct Europe’s largest theme park in Bedford.
Today we finalized a multibillion-pound investment that will make Bedford the location for one of the largest. entertainment parks in Europe "firmly placing the county on the global stage," stated UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Universal's inaugural European park will be added to its collection of U.S. theme parks located in Orlando, Florida; Los Angeles, California; along with those in Osaka, Japan; Sentosa, Singapore; and Beijing, China.
The £50 billion (€58 billion) proposal for Universal Studios United Kingdom will be built on a former industrial area known as Kempston Hardwick brickworks. This 3-square-kilometer location close to Bedford lies approximately 90 miles northwest of central London – about an hour’s journey by rail.
Scheduled to debut in 2031, the new theme park is expected to generate approximately 28,000 positions – comprising about 20,000 jobs in construction and roughly 8,000 within the realms of creativity and hospitality – with four out of five workers hailing from the surrounding community.
Once everything is operational, Universal Studios UK anticipates drawing in as many as 8.5 million visitors annually, along with providing accommodations through a 500-room hotel for its guests.
On the scale, it will be almost four times larger than Disneyland Paris, though its anticipated visitor count will be somewhat lower compared to the French attraction that welcomed more than 10 million guests in 2023.
None of the attractions or zones have been finalized for the upcoming UK park. In contrast, the five additional parks located in the US and Asia feature rides inspired by numerous key assets from NBCUniversal.
Due to the company's extensive partnership with director Steven Spielberg , rides have often showcased his films including Jurassic Park , Jaws and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . Additional significant estates encompassing Harry Potter , The Simpsons , and Nintendo have also been part of their present theme parks' attractions.
In 2016, NBCUniversal signed a seven-year agreement with Warner Bros., securing the TV rights to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. This allowed them to develop themed zones focused on the magical universe within their theme parks located in Florida, California, Japan, and China.
This goes beyond introducing remarkable American innovations to Britain; it’s equally important to display exceptional British inventions globally," stated Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to the media. "Think of James Bond, Paddington Bear, and Harry Potter—these are prime examples. There is plenty we can take pride in.
To develop the theme park, Universal plans to invest in enhancing the nearby Wixams train station and constructing a new one along the railway. Additionally, they will add new exit ramps to the highway running through Bedford for easy access to the park.
Introducing a premier theme park and resort to the United Kingdom presents an amazing chance and aligns with our plan to expand the Universal brand and experiences to new global audiences," stated Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences. "We value the remarkable backing we've received for our suggested initiative and are excited about making this vision a reality over the coming years.
Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation, stated: "We couldn't be more thrilled about taking this significant stride in our initiative to develop and provide an outstanding Universal theme park and resort right at the center of the United Kingdom. This venture enhances our burgeoning U.S.-based amusement parks operation by broadening our international presence into Europe."