Five things we learnt about the Universal Studios UK plans | UK News

A Universal Studios theme park could be built in the UK, spanning 268 hectares (662 acres) and promising some of Europe’s biggest rides.

As part of the planning process the US entertainment giant published thousands of pages outlining its vision for Bedfordshire back in July.

The public had two months to read the plans and share feedback, but that window officially closed on Sunday afternoon.

Now, as we await the government’s verdict, here are five standout details revealed during the consultation process.

You don’t need a theme park ticket to enjoy many Universal resorts, and the planned UK location is expected to be the same.

In Hollywood, Orlando, Osaka and Beijing, an area called CityWalk sits just outside the park entrances, offering restaurants, shops, cinemas, escape rooms, and mini-golf, all open to the public.

Plans for the resort in Bedford describe a similar space called the Entry Plaza which will offer themed retail, dining, and entertainment experiences.

Though designed to transition visitors from the transport hub into the paid area of the park, it will be freely accessible to anyone who passes a security check.

The plans describe the plaza as a “festive and exciting area rich with food and drink, retail, and entertainment offerings”.

There will also be “spectacular live entertainment” hosted in this area.

The documents continue: “Lights, music, and a heightened level of energy prepare visitors for the theme park experience in the morning and extend their stay into the evening with specialty restaurants, live entertainment and retail experiences.”

Unlike other UK parks that shut for winter Universal plans to stay open year-round, with the gated area open to the public daily from 07:00 to 23:00, including Bank Holidays.

Other UK theme parks such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor are usually closed in winter months.

Standard opening hours run between 10:00 to 17:00 for many UK parks but some extend their hours for seasonal events around Halloween and Christmas.

Universal has proposed the park will open late for 60 days of the year for ‘Halloween Horror Nights’, five days a year at holiday operating hours and “special Events” 30 days of the year.

Ampthill Town Council raised concerns about noise and light pollution, especially from firework and drone displays, but the parks documents downplay the potential disturbances.

The firm’s plans say regular firework displays are not part of the parks day-to-day operations and will take place no more than 10 times a year.

At least five of which would take place on or around the events of Chinese New Year, Bonfire night, Diwali and New Year’s Eve.

Universal is expecting 8.5 million annual visitors to the UK resort, with that number expected to rise to 12 million after 20 years of operation.

That’s a huge number, but thankfully the planning documents offer some helpful context by comparing it to other major theme parks around the world.

According to Universal’s data, the closest comparable theme park is Disneyland Paris, which saw 10.4 million visitors in 2023.

If Universal UK reaches its long-term goal of 12 million visitors, it would surpass the 9.8 million that visited Universal Studios Florida in the same year.

To put that in perspective, any theme park attracting 12 million guests annually would rank comfortably among the top ten most visited theme parks in the world.

No attraction in the UK comes close to these expected visitor numbers. Universal says the biggest UK theme park is Legoland Windsor with 2.42 million visitors.

The largest attraction close to the proposed park is Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable which Universal claims drew in 830,000 visitors in 2023.

In that year the most visited theme parks in the world were Disney’s parks in Florida and California which got more than 17 million attendees, and Universal Studios Osaka with 16 million.

Universal is promising more than just rollercoasters, its new theme park could bring a huge amount of employment.

Through the official website, 18,000 people have expressed interest in jobs.

In its opening year, the company expects to directly create 8,050 jobs, rising to 12,465 over the following two decades.

The roles span a wide range of industries, from lifeguards and retail workers to engineers, accountants, legal professionals, creatives, and IT specialists.

There’s also a commitment to working with local colleges and creating 55 apprenticeships annually, starting two years after the park opens.

Hospitality will see a major boost too, with 2,415 jobs tied to hotel operations by 2051, by then the site is expected to feature 4,720 hotel rooms.

Tourism experts have advised Universal that demand for accommodation may outstrip what’s available on-site, meaning additional hotels could be built nearby.

It’s a familiar model, Disneyland Paris has eight on-site hotels with 5,700 rooms, plus another eight partner hotels in the surrounding area.

Universal estimates that jobs indirectly created by the park across the country could reach 25,195 in the first year of operation, growing to 42,485 by the 20th year of operation.

One of the more eye-catching diagrams in Universal’s planning documents shows a train line stretching from mainland Europe all the way to Bedford.

Some may be dreaming of trains from the continent to the theme park, echoing the old direct UK-to-Disneyland Paris service, which was scrapped due to EU entry complications.

Eurostar told the there were no plans to extend the service to Bedford. It had previously ran to Kent but was stopped in 2020, though this will be reviewed in 2026.

What the plans do make clear is the park will be well connected by rail.

A two-platform station is already under construction in the nearby new town of Wixams, though Network Rail said work has paused while Universal’s plans are considered.

Universal wants the station to be upgraded to include four platforms so it can welcome even more visitors.

Space has been reserved for a new station at the resort itself, which would sit on the East West Rail line, connecting the park to Cambridge and Oxford, if the project gets the green light to reach Bedford.

It’s not just rail. A new junction on the A421 is planned, complete with slip roads to direct traffic to and from the park.

There will also be new footpaths and cycle routes, connecting the resort to the wider Bedford area.