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French historic attraction operator Puy du Fou has announced plans to open its first UK theme park in Oxfordshire
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 08 Jul 2024
If approved, the attraction will serve as a celebration of UK history, culture and stories Credit: Puy du Fou
Puy du Fou has revealed plans to open its first UK attraction in Oxfordshire, UK.
Plans for the £300m (US$384m, €355m) attraction have been submitted to Cherwell District Council, with a public consultation website having already launched and public consultation events slated to take place in Bicester and Oxford in July.
If approved, the park, located close to Bicester Village – a major retail destination, which attracts thousands of visitors to the area annually – will serve as a celebration of UK history, stories and culture with immersive experiences and spectacular historical stage shows.
“We are not an attraction like you have ever experienced before,” said Puy du Fou CEO Olivier Strebelle.
“We don’t have any rides or rollercoasters; there are no neon flashing lights. Instead, we create an authentic, natural and historical environment set within beautiful gardens, which become the setting for world-class shows and immersive cultural and historical experiences for the whole family to enjoy.
“With Britain’s rich history, and with so many British people already visiting us in France and Spain, we have been looking for a site in the country for many years, and we have now identified the perfect location in Oxfordshire.”
As well as representing a significant investment in the area, the park would also employ 700 people and could create up to 2,000 new jobs at local hotels and businesses in its first year of operation alone.
According to Strebelle, these numbers are projected to grow significantly in the park’s first 10 years of operation, with the initial £300m investment expected to double and the number of jobs set to triple.
“We are still at the early stages of preparing our proposals but look forward to meeting local residents and businesses as part of our public consultation,” Strebelle added.
Puy du Fou UK would be the third park in the Puy du Fou portfolio, joining locations in France and Spain, as well as standalone attractions in China and the US.
The announcement is also the latest in a series of significant attractions developments for the UK and comes after Universal revealed plans for a UK Universal Studios attraction in Bedfordshire, UK.
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