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Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, has shared the company’s century-long plan for its upcoming UK resort
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 25 Apr 2025
The development’s first phase will include a theme park, hotel and retail-entertainment complex Credit: Universal
Universal’s upcoming UK theme park is the first phase in a century-long plan for the resort, Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, has revealed.
Speaking for the first time since the project received approval from the UK government, Thompson told the BBC: “We look at these projects as really long-term projects. We try to think about the next 100 years.”
“This is just the start of the development in the Bedford area,” he added.
The 476-acre site, a former brickworks located in Kempston Hardwick just south of Bedford, was described by Thompson as the ‘perfect site’ for the resort.
The development’s first phase is expected to open in 2031. It will include a theme park, a 500-room hotel and retail-entertainment complex.
Few details are currently known about the park’s attractions and experiences, with Thompson saying: “We won’t comment on the specific properties or lands in the park until we get a lot closer to the opening.”
“We’ve had a lot of speculation about what’s in the park. We think it’s very entertaining to see what people would like to see and what they expect to see in the park.”
Details of the theme park’s attractions and lands have yet to be revealed CREDIT: CANVA
Once complete, it will be “one of the largest and most advanced” theme parks in Europe. It is expected to attract an estimated 8.5 million visitors in its first year. An economic impact analysis report, commissioned by Universal Destinations & Experiences, projects that the park could generate almost £50bn (US$64bn, €58bn) for the UK economy during its construction and first 20 years of operation.
It will join a portfolio of Universal destinations in the US, China, Japan and Singapore. It will be Universal’s first, and according to Thompson only, European attraction the company has built from the ground up, having previously licensed its name to the PortAventura resort in Spain.
“This is probably our real destination in Europe, and we do expect to draw from all over Europe. We expect in our first year that about 30% of our visitors will come from outside of the UK. We think we’re going to be a major driver for tourism to the country,” Thompson said.
“A country with the population and the tourist visitation of the UK should have probably three of the top 25 theme parks in the world. Right now they don’t have any – and our smallest park that we operate anywhere in the world draws nine million people. So we feel very confident that demand is there.
“We have a lot more land that we intend to develop in ways that bring more people to the area and are hopefully beneficial for everybody.”
The project, which represents a multi-billion-pound investment for the operator, was first announced in late 2023. In April 2025, Comcast, Universal’s parent company, was granted an agreement in principle from the UK government to move forward with the project, pending planning approval.
As part of the agreement, Universal has committed to improving local infrastructure, including road and rail networks to ensure the resort is well connected and easily accessible.
Universal’s UK resort will be the operator’s first and only European attraction CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
“We have plans to work on the access ramp from A421 directly into our site,” said Thompson.
Thompson also highlighted the planned expansion at London Luton Airport and the proposed East West Rail link as key advantages, with the Oxford link scheduled to complete in 2030, approximately a year before the resort’s planned opening.
“Already London Luton Airport is drawing 18 million passengers a year. So the recent news about their planning approval for the expansion is just an extra bonus for us as well.”
According to Thompson, the development would be “transformational” for Bedford, with the project slated to create 28,000 jobs before its opening, 80% of which will be staffed by people from Bedford and its surrounding areas.
“We don’t do everything ourselves. Whether it’s a local bakery, electrician, plumber, security services, construction people – there’s just going to be ongoing work on the site. And we’re going to be outsourcing a lot of that work to the local community,” he added.
The site in Bedford has been described as the perfect location for the proposed resort CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
Bedford mayor Tom Wootton also emphasised the development’s significance to the local community.
“This is a landmark moment for Bedford. Universal’s decision to proceed with its theme park and resort in the UK brings exciting opportunities to our doorstep – thousands of jobs, new training and career paths, and a huge boost for local businesses,” he said.
Commenting on the benefits for the local economy, Thompson said: “We want people to stay overnight, because that’s a really beautiful area.
“I think people coming from London will come out and have a little bit of a staycation. There’s quite a lot of fun things to do in the surrounding area, so I think that will only grow.
“I think we’ll see more hotels, and I think there are many local businesses that are going to benefit from the park.
“This project would not be happening if it weren’t for the enthusiasm of the people in the Bedford area. They deserve incredible thanks from us for their support at every stage of the project.”
Planning permission documents for the resort will be submitted to the UK government in the coming months, with construction slated to begin in 2026.
The news comes in the lead up to the opening of Epic Universe, the newest Universal resort in Orlando, Florida. The resort is scheduled to open on May 22, 2025, with the last of its three hotels, the Universal Helios Grand Hotel opening earlier this month.
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