New theme park: Universal Studios… Bedford!

Nitefly

Nitefly

Nitefly

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Yes, really! :eek:

www.bedfordindependent.co.uk

Breaking news: Universal Studios confirm they are planning a theme park in Bedford Borough - Bedford Independent

Excitement has been building in and around Bedford over the last 24 hours after a respected theme park website reported on evidence...
www.bedfordindependent.co.uk www.bedfordindependent.co.uk

Wow - this is just incredible news for the UK theme park / entertainment industry. Here’s hoping it happens :)

Edit: adding BBC link:

www.bbc.co.uk

Universal Studios buys Bedford brickworks for theme park plan

Universal is in the "very early" stages of planning and has bought a large ex-brickworks site.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
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I think they looked at a site near my old part of east London too. Would have been crazy.
 
darkgen said:
Bedford?!

Good luck that that going ahead. Sounds like another wishful thought from similar chaps who brought you the "London Resort"!
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Yeah that has been amateur hour… or decade.

With Universal behind it, it’s a global brand and for them to come out publicising it suggests that they will have already provisionally agreed it with the planning authorities or it’s otherwise well advanced behind the scenes … but let’s see.
 
Nitefly said:
Yeah that has been amateur hour… or decade.

With Universal behind it, it’s a global brand and for them to come out publicising it suggests that they will have already provisionally agreed it with the planning authorities or it’s otherwise well advanced behind the scenes … but let’s see.
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Nitefly said:
I don’t believe that Disney were ever behind that project. It just got labelled the ‘Disney for the UK’ for attention.

This is quite different.
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I believe the Kent debacle was originally backed by Paramount.
 
darkgen said:
I believe the Kent debacle was originally backed by Paramount.
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Yes - they provided the IP, but it wasn’t financially backed by them (as far as I know, I guess).

Paramount did co-own a few parks in the US that are now under the Cedar Fair brand, but they mostly left the industry.

Meanwhile, Comcast (owner of Universal) has acquired a construction company which in turn owns the land associated with the project.

In other news, Cedar Fair and Six Flags announced a merger a few weeks ago. Crazy times!
 
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Bedford isn't entirely stupid. Centre parcs opened a new site there a few years back. Its close enough to London for big population, accessible from M6/A14 for us non-London peasants and the land will be comparatively cheap. Wicksteed Park in Kettering will suffer though.
 
GaryTheSnail said:
You never too old for a ride at a theme park.

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I saw a someone with a zimmer frame, mid 80s at least, get on the back row of Lightning Rod once :eek:

At the time my wife and I were like “she’s going to die / break her legs” and I did think about raising concerns to the staff but in the end I thought it was none of my business and it could be rude to suggest she was too old. I will never forget seeing her fly over the famous ‘quad down’, it was quite the sight!



*****

Now on BBC:

www.bbc.co.uk

Universal Studios buys Bedford brickworks for theme park plan

Universal is in the "very early" stages of planning and has bought a large ex-brickworks site.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
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Probably turn out like the "Multi-billion pound theme park" near Sheffield.

Was meant to be a massive theme park that would compete with Alton Towers in terms of attractions and size.

What we got was a naff theme park, "Gulliver's Valley", akin to a static version of a travelling funfair, which would fit in the car park of Alton Towers & half the space taken up by accommodation (static caravans) for guests, all built next to a food processing plant that makes cheap ready-meals that stinks the entire area, usually smells like baby vomit.

Here's an aerial shot.

Yellow was the proposed size of the theme park. Red is what they actually built. There are no further plans according to the company.

JwTSK6B.png
 
It'll never pass planning due to noise. They've developed all around Cardington and Wixams is still under construction to the south. They've been trying to shut down Thurleigh for track days for years (and develop the site for housing) due to noise.

The Stewartby site was earmarked to become more soundstages for film studios to expand the facilities offered near Cardington and Thurleigh.

The Eden aquatics centre was originally penned for the brickworks site and Beds Borough spent millions supporting that campaign. This will become another taxpayer failed project and flogged for housing like every other major project.
 
GaryTheSnail said:
Not sure but a theme park come on that should be epic. It's universal studios. They not going to make it poo are they ?

Then again - they might...
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at best it will be like like Disneyland Paris, and that's good but its not like Disneyland is it.
Everything we get in the UK is ***** because of cost... then we find out most of the cost got off loaded onto the tax payers via government grant's, i can't wait for the playout I'm due as a shareholder
 
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