Universal Studios Great Britain

I mean the brickwork lakes. They are definitley in that plot.

People sometimes say 'otherwise it would be houses'. I'm fine with houses which are badly needed rather than a large theme park of little local benefit. I'd rather a theme park went in an area in need of local jobs and regeneration - the deprived coastal regions , for example.

10 years ago part of this site was earmarked for a school.

This area is already horrendously badly developed. Warehouses plonked next to weight limit bridges, rushed poorly planned housing estates, GPs in Portakabins, planned never built schools and train stations. It feels like an area where planning is just easy and never disputed.

Yes, it's brown belt but some of the lakes have protected wildlife.

I guess we have no experience of such parks here, really. If I went to Orlando, it'd be part of a bigger Florida holiday. I did do Universal in LA but as one day in a California holiday. I can't see Beds attracting the same type of visitors.

When I have been to Alton Towers, for example, I haven't noticed foreign tourists.

It's not green belt land; it was a brickworks.

It will look as sad and dilapidated as all the other UK parks within a few years because of our shitty weather. Walking around in the Florida sunshine changes everything considerably.

In my experience Universal and Disney parks are attended by just as many adults as families, indeed more adults than families outside the holidays.

It will be interesting to see whether more dark rides and shows would be planned than outdoor rides or rollercoasters due to the climate.

There are various wildlife reserves close to the area where they're suggesting to build this theme park - Priory country park and the forest of Marston Vale. Wildlife is stressed enough in this country without making things worse.

I don't think this is a good location for a theme park - the infrastructure isn't strong enough, and it would mean building on green belt.

No, it was free with a certain bank card I think… there were lots of ways to get discounts and freebies as locals though so maybe that’ll happen here too?

Overflowing? We have Whipsnade Zoo, Woburn Abbey (closed since 2019), Woburn safari park and Wrest Park - I'm not sure I can think of any other huge tourist attractions in Bedfordshire...

This was the last one I had heard about https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/amp/rival-theme-park-plan-could-topple-london-resort-bid-298851/.

No, Bedford. Have a Google. There are plenty of news articles about it.

I thought it was being build in London or what that a different theme park?

This has happened lots of times over the last 20 or so years. It never gets built.

My kids are in their 20s and I have no interest as an adult in attending a theme park really these days. I know some fully grown people love them but generally they are family places and for teens/20s. I wouldn't go to one without kids.

Overflowing with tourism? You've never been to Bedfordshire, have you....?

Tourism we do not have.

The Kempston Hardwick station is the little old Bletchley line. It's semi permanently broken!

I am also not convinced by these amazing job opportunities. Schoolkids on NMW presumably having to be bussed on to site , zero hours contracts . There's is already rather a lot of gig economy around the area and exploitative seasonal employers (Centerparcs isn't far). This won't improve actual public transport for the thousands of people who can't actually get any east to west transport in the area, for example.

I've been reading up about noise pollution and there have been quite big complaints about noise form Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. In fact it looks like TP blocked a housing development because they didn't want noise complaints.

There has been a train station proposed in this area for years now and it hasn't happened. Potentially this all hangs on the new train link which is very controversial and mired in planning disputes, as it involves flattening houses in Bedford.

The actual MP is due to change at the next election and the new sitting MP has been quiet. It's not the bit of the constituency he is interested in. The Bedford MP seems very positive but none of his constituents live in the area of the site.

Agreed. It’ll fuck the environment in the area, increase flooding risks, destroy natural habitats and bring tens of thousands of strangers into a really small, peaceful rural area.

Absolutely fucking awful.

but woo, loads of shit minimum wage jobs

I'm a theme park fan so would go but not before I go back to the new florida site. I also want to go to universal osaka but debating as I'd prefer to do the new site in florida.

I'm sort of meh about a UK site although I loved the HP stuff I am not that arsed about going again too soon.

I'm hopeful it will all go ahead! Just been to Disney Florida and had a brilliant time with my young dcs - by the time this gets built they'll be able to go on some fast rides. We're in London and am glad to read about a train station being proposed - we don't drive like a lot of Londoners and it's a pain to get to a lot of theme parks by public transport.

Universal in Orlando do a light show rather than fireworks each night.
im excited for it, absolutely love Universal Orlando. It would be great to see a HP element as that’s definitely one of the best bits but I’d imagine WB would have tied up the rights before they opened the studio tour? The How to Train Your Dragon stuff they’re building in Florida looks great.

it’s got to force Merlin to up their game a bit?