Surprised at this use of government funding when we're supposedly so in debt.

Why wouldn't they hire local? They'll need retail, hospitality, security, cleaning, admin, maintenance, electricians, welders - plenty of opportunities for local people.

Is it in an area that will benefit? Will they really hire local residents or will it be the same "British people wont work" tripe that usually gets trotted out?

For context I live in an area with a safari park who hire local every year

The AI data centres "taking all the water" is a fallacy. Data centres recycle water used. I bet this and many other social media sites you use consume just as much water as these boogeyman AI centres.

@WhitegreeNcandle I believe it's getting it's own railway station.
It's going to be near Bedford rather than in it.

I think it’s great but I really hope they sort the roads out. Bedford is gridlocked at the best of times. Also huge issues with East West rail locally which I think is all kind of connected to universal.

I also really really hope they use this opportunity to revive Bedford town centre. I want to cry when I see it now

Wow did this thread ever get off topic. Nice to see so many people realising the benefits and the minority with negative opinions just trying to push a different agenda.

The one about it being like merlin for tickets and accessibility. How on earth would you even guess at that. Given the opportunity to copy the very successful systems the exact same company uses elsewhere, or their rival they're trying to compete with, I wonder which they'll choose 🤔

By setting up the other areas of the country with things that use their natural resources to the detriment of locals while the managers all live in a bubble or remote work from Dubai, great! I wonder why people feel they have to move to London? What a mystery.

London keeps the entire country going, its a fact

The poor have moved into London for decades, in fact centuries.

We are not in debt. We are a soveriegn country with our own currency, we can print/create as much money as we like so can never go bankrupt.

That said, any money the government invests needs to be in return for for part ownership imho - I don’t know if that’s the case - as the money is repaid then government ownership could reduce.

I'm so glad you "pay for our benefits" out of the kindness of your heart. Please, do take away all of our water while you are at it and ask people to thank you.

Why on earth would you think I am on benefits!

@FridayOnMyMind Hundreds of thousands of people in the South of England have been affected by water supply disruptions and contamination incidents over the last two years. These issues range from prolonged boil-water notices and parasite outbreaks to dry taps caused by infrastructure failures, particularly affecting Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Devon. Your ignorance is showing. You may also want to look up gentrification of London.

Even if you use AI it will explain it to you in a simple way, as below:
The most significant localized events affecting residents and businesses include:
South East Water (Kent and Sussex): Over the 2025/2026 winter, approximately 24,000 to 69,000 properties (affecting over 300,000 individuals) experienced dry taps, low pressure, and subsequent boil-water notices. A previous crisis in the summer also left up to 18,000 properties without water. 1, 2, 3]
South West Water (Brixham and South Devon): In May 2024, a major Cryptosporidium parasite outbreak affected a population of almost 39,000 (about 16,000 to 17,000 households and businesses). The boil-water notice lasted for 54 days, leaving hundreds of people ill and resulting in a record £1.8m fine for the utility company. 1, 2, 3]
Thames Water (South-East London and Surrey): Between May 2024 and early 2025, various Thames Water incidents impacted thousands in the southern region. This included an (E. coli) warning in Brockley, South-East London and a severe fuel leak incident in Bramley, Surrey, which forced over 600 homes to endure "do not drink" notices. 1, 2]
Southern Water (Hampshire): In December 2024, a major supply interruption in Southampton and Marchwood left almost 130,000 people (60,000 households) without water for up to two days

Had. Past tense, a point I already addressed. It was an issue with a main that could have happened anywhere, it is idiotic to use that as a reason not to invest in a theme park.

Please remember when you rant about Londoners that it’s us paying your benefits.

The South does not have water supply issues, London is not shipping out all the poor.

I have to ask, are you alright? You are posting rubbish, repeatedly, and dem to have a huge chip on your shoulder about people living in the capital. You are coming across as quite bigoted and uninformed.

Like a great many people, I moved to London from elsewhere.

Er what?

What has any of that bitter rant to do with the idiotic claim that the South has water supply issue?

As for London shipping out all the poor, you know that that’s not true, so why post it?

I have no interest in going to Universal Studios but this is one of the best things to happen in the UK for years.
The jobs and money it will bring in is going to be huge.
Hopefully the Puy du Fou planned for near Bicester will go ahead as well.
We will have Universal and Warner Studios (aka Harry Potter World) practically next door to each other plus
Puy du Fou not that far away from the same area (which is near Bicester Village Shopping which is already very popular with tourists).
I personally believe it will bring in ££££££

I do marginally disagree with this. I'm going to Florida again this year and are just going for universal parks. (Although will enjoy a cheeky pool day!).

And Florida is an example of a place with lots of parks, but I've flown to Germany to just go to Phantasialand, but stayed an extra night in cologne and are off to Europa-park in summer just to do that one place. Lot of people will travel just for the parks and actually UUK will have the benefit of access to other areas for day trips or overnight in London etc.

@likelysuspect if you think shipping out all of your poor is the answer then that is the problem. I guess you don't care as long as they are replaced by millionaires. Let's all think short term shall we?

I was simply answering the point which gets raised over and over again about how apparently Londoners are sending people/moving to other areas of the country and putting terrible pressure on those areas. What do you think has happened to London over the centuries and last 100 years, people moving from all corners of the UK to London, calling themselves 'Londoners' and putting pressure on resources and housing.

I was replying to Friday who said they lived in London and had no idea the south had any water issues. If you live in an area which has already got issues why are you so keen to have a water park and AI data centre on your doorstep?

Oh dear. I live in one of those areas and we have had water issues. Perhaps dont be so hasty to make assumptions.

If you live in London and have no idea about water supplies in nearby Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury, Maidstone, Whitstable, Ashford, Headcorn, to name but a few in the South East area, you need to pull your head out of wherever you have stuck it. You haven't been paying attention if you think the South hasn't had water issues.

It’s a great idea. The government actually putting money into something that will create jobs, rather than a bloated state is excellent.

London, where people move to and have done for decades, centuries, taking up our land and housing.

I would have sympathy for the poor areas who no longer have EU funding but of course they overwhelmingly voted for Brexit. Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Have to invest to grow, it will bring far more back in taxes in the long term than the money invested

@thirdpartygobetween we seem to even struggle with providing decent toilets, adequate parking, even though we are building them from new. Once you travel with a disabled people/a disability you realise how shit most places and UK airports are. We are really surprised when the disabled toilet is well designed, like by Chester's river cruise, old building, but great toilets.
We need jobs, we need people spending money and we needed accountability from the Tory party on what they had done to our country/services.