The single biggest boost to the UK economy since this new Labour government were voted into power as an estimated £50 billion is on its way over the next 20 years thanks to the Universal Studios Great Britain project being officially greenlit and announced today.
Negotiations have been heating up over the last few weeks as an announcement was imminent and that day is finally here!
A 476-acre parcel of land in Bedfordshire is set to become the home to an on-site hotel, a Citywalk and Europe’s only Universal Studios theme park!
Known as ‘Project Nectarine’ in the UK government the theme park would showcase Universal’s world-class entertainment services, live shows and themed experiences in the UK and Kier Starmer was captured looking at what looks to be rumoured concept art in a Sky News segment that aired before the Daily Mirror posted the headline story of this groundbreaking project.
Merin Entertainments, a company who have a monopoly of UK theme parks including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chessington will be quaking at their boots with Universal offering a much better product than the current UK leaders of theme parks within the country.
Merlin Entertainments has the UK monopoly on theme parks but things will very quickly change when Universal rolls into town as their product offering is leaps and bounds above what Merlin currently offers here in the UK.
The attention to detail mixed with the ride-theming, story-driven entertainment not to mention world-recognised IP’s make Universal a very hot property indeed as tourists will flock from all over the globe to visit Europe’s first Universal park.
The Prime Minister officially announced the agreement today and said:
Today we closed the deal on a multi-billion-pound investment that will see Bedford home to one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe, firmly putting the county on the global stage.
This is our Plan for Change in action, combining local and national growth with creating around 28,000 new jobs across sectors such as construction, AI, and tourism.
It is not just about numbers; it’s about securing real opportunities for people in our country. Together, we are building a brighter future for the UK, getting people into work and ensuring our economy remains strong and competitive.
The concept art shows three large outdoor rollercoasters as well as a variety of showbuildings all surrounding a giant lake centerpiece. One of the coasters looks to be an Intamin-manufactured spike coaster similar to Spitfire currently constructed at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia.
There are also two outdoor theatres.
At opening, the theme park would be one of the largest employers in the region, with approximately 80% of employees expected to come from Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes, with many more communities benefiting from apprenticeships, training and educational opportunities.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
From Wicked to Minions, Universal is behind some of the biggest blockbusters of recent years.
This landmark investment is fantastic news for our economy, for UK tourism and for the British public, who will be able to enjoy the biggest and best theme park in Europe on their doorstep. As well as providing brilliant days out, it will open up exciting new job opportunities for young people in Bedfordshire and beyond, ranging from construction to the creative industries.
Construction will begin in 2026 and the park is set to open in 2031!
Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation, said:
We could not be more excited to take this very important step in our plan to create and deliver an incredible Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the United Kingdom, which complements our growing US-based parks business by expanding our global footprint to Europe.
We appreciate the leadership and support of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and their teams, as we work together to create and deliver a fantastic new landmark destination.
Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO 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. We appreciate the incredible support for our proposed project and look forward to bringing it to life in the years ahead.
For those who aren’t clued up on the project in its entirety check out our video below over on Lift Hills and Thrills:
