Bedford Universal Theme Park Plans Announced

09 April 2025

Planning proposals for a Universal-branded theme park to open on a former industrial site in Bedford will be submitted.

This will be the first Universal-branded theme park in Europe and the UK.

Universal Destinations & Experiences, a business unit of Comcast, said that the construction of the park would bring 20,000 jobs to the area, with a further 8,000 new jobs when the park opens.

As ThisWeekinFM reported, in 2023 Universal purchased the 480-acre site at Kempston Hardwick Brickworks, an industrial site that closed in the 1980s.

The theme park will be part of a wider 476-acre entertainment resort, including a 500-room hotel and a retail, dining and entertainment complex.

Universal expects 8.5 million people to visit the park in its first year, making it the largest visitor attraction in the UK.

Subject to planning permission, construction is due to start in 2026, with the park set to open in 2031.

Picture: a render showing an artist's impression of the resort, centered on a lake with buildings surrounding it. Image Credit: Universal and Comcast

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 09 April 2025

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