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.'
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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.
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