Business
Universal UK theme park could rival Disneyland Paris in size
Danny FullbrookBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Universal Destinations & Experiences/ComcastUniversal Studios’ UK theme park was given the green light this week, a decision creating buzz for families up and down the country who might one day want to go.
After months of discussions, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed gave planning permission for the park to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.
This isn’t just another attraction – it’s an attempt by the US entertainment giant to build one of the biggest theme parks in the world.
Universal mentioned in planning documents that a country like the UK should have at least two global theme parks, and this project was described as a “generational opportunity”.
But can Universal pull off something of quite this scale, going up against the likes of Disneyland Paris? As BBC News heard from locals, it might be a tall order – and not everyone is happy.
Bloomberg via Getty ImagesLiving on the doorstep of a theme park
“They haven’t bought enough land; what they should be buying is 2,000 acres somewhere and put their theme park in the middle,” says Claudia Pixley, 46, who lives in a bungalow on the road where the theme park entrance will be built.
“But as it happens, some of these roads around here are tiny village roads.
“Anything goes wrong on the M1 or the A421, this whole area is at a standstill… and then you want to put Universal Studios in the middle of that.”
She describes the project as “absolute madness” and says representatives of Universal have approached her about buying her home, where she’s lived for the last decade, but she wants to stay put in her “little slice of Eden”.
Nicola Haseler/BBCShe may well be one of few people in the area unhappy about the new park. According to Universal, in the Bedford area 92% of those who responded to its survey of 6,000 people were supportive of the development.
But it raises an interesting point about what might and might not be achievable in the grand vision for Universal UK to rival some of the biggest and best current theme parks.
Slated to open by 2031, the park is expected to draw 8.5 million annual visitors and could feature the tallest rides seen in Europe. The total size of the resort would be 268 hectares (662 acres), with the theme park 96.7 hectares (238 acres).
By comparison, Disneyland Paris is by several estimates just under 52 hectares (130 acres), though some of Disney’s other parks worldwide are far larger.
NurPhoto via Getty ImagesUniversal said its UK visitor numbers were expected to rise to 12 million by 2051, which could make it the most-visited park in Europe by today’s standards. According to Forbes, Disneyland Paris held that title last year with 10.2 million visitors.
However, even at opening, 8.5 million is more than three times the attendance of the UK’s biggest parks today:
- Legoland Windsor Resort, Berkshire: 61 hectares (150 acres), 2.42 million annual visitors (2023)
- Alton Towers, Staffordshire: 222 hectares (550 acres), 2.35 million annual visitors (2023)
- Thorpe Park, Surrey: 200 hectares (490 acres), 1.62 million annual visitors (2023)
- Chessington World of Adventures Resort: 52 hectares (128 acres), 1.5 million annual visitors (2022)
Can Universal UK shake things up?
For content creator Theme Park Kate, who specialises in theme parks and attractions on TikTok, Universal’s future attraction could be “a huge game changer within Europe” and the ambition with its size and rides is realistic.
“It will potentially be a theme park that can compete with the popularity of Disneyland Paris, which has dominated the European theme park market for many years now,” she tells BBC News.
The theme park fan speculated that the park would benefit from using intellectual property (IP) that has not been used at other locations around the world.
Theme Park KateShe adds: “Harry Potter has been done now at various Universal parks, but a new IP like the rumoured James Bond or Lord of the Rings will be unique to the park and bring in a large amount of fans that will want to see these brand new experiences for themselves for the very first time.”
Last year, a source told the BBC that the new park could include James Bond, The Lord of the Rings, Paddington and Jurassic World-themed rides – although a Universal spokesperson said it was too early to confirm this.
Theme Park Kate is hopeful this could have a ripple effect of boosting the country’s existing parks and forcing them to “step up their game” to match Universal.
YouTuber Jack Silkstone, who visits theme parks around the world, agrees with the sentiment. He lives “next door” to Thorpe Park – and his message to any unhappy Bedford residents like Claudia is that living on the doorstep of a theme park is “honestly a dream”.
Jack Silkstone“Everyone has some form of connection to the park – whether they work there themselves, they know someone that works there, they love to visit, or they aspire to work at the park when they’re older,” he says.
“It creates a real sense of community that then spills out into the wider surrounding towns.”
Jack sees the projected scale of the Universal UK park as a huge oportunity for the UK’s economy, and seems confident that the company can pull off its aims for scale.
“We’re very lucky, we’ve got some amazing, classic theme parks already in this country. But Universal are global leaders in the theme park industry; they do it different.”
‘Winners and losers’
Universal said it expected to directly create 8,050 jobs when it opens, with many staff coming from the surrounding areas.
Wixams, a town which will border the new theme park, will also get an upgraded four-platform railway station as part of the proposals.
Despite the concern expressed by some like Claudia that the area may not be able to cope with an influx of visitors, Bedford borough councillor Marc Frost says councillors have been assured that traffic surveys are complete and road infrastructure will be in place.
Universal’s engagement with local officials suggested they “genuinely want to work and get on with their neighbours”, he adds.
Another consideration for those in the local area is property prices – and some could fare better than others here, too.
Nick Kier, a partner at Lane & Holmes estate agents, says he already knows of some people who have already bought property close to the Universal site, which they plan to rent out to visitors in the future.
He explains “there are definite winners and losers in this scenario” and “you cannot expect, with that amount of investment coming in… that the prices won’t go up”.
“The people who are living here for a completely other reason will find it more expensive… That’s the losing side.”
At the same time, he acknowledges that local hotels for miles would be likely to benefit.
What’s clear is that the Universal park could dwarf much of its competition if all goes to plan, and while the impacts can be a double-edged sword, many are keen to see what its opening brings.
The FTSE 100 closed higher on Monday, recouping most of Friday’s hefty falls amid a calmer bond market and as Iran responded to the latest US peace proposal.
The FTSE 100 closed up 128.38 points, 1.3%, at 10,323.75. The FTSE 250 ended up 15.56 points, 0.1%, at 22,611.70, but the AIM All-Share fell 8.72 points, 1.1%, at 800.17.
Iran said it had responded to a new US proposal aimed at ending the war, adding that diplomatic exchanges continue despite Iranian media reports describing Washington’s demands as excessive, AFP reported.
Washington and Tehran have been swapping proposals in an effort to end the conflict, which the US and Israel launched on February 28, but they have held only a single round of talks despite a fragile ceasefire.
“As we announced yesterday, our concerns were conveyed to the American side,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing, adding that exchanges were “continuing through the Pakistani mediator”.
Mr Baqaei defended Iran’s demands, including the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and the lifting of long-standing sanctions.
“The points raised are Iranian demands that have been firmly defended by the Iranian negotiating team in every round of negotiations,” he said.
But with no signs of clear progress, the oil price remained inflated and volatile.
Brent crude for July delivery was trading at 110.80 dollars a barrel on Monday, up compared to 108.83 at the time of the equities close in London on Friday.
After a frantic Friday, the bond markets calmed, while sterling also rebounded as investors weighed the latest political developments.
The yield on UK 10-year gilts traded at 5.14% compared to 5.17% at the same time on Friday.
The pound traded at 1.3397 dollars on Monday afternoon, up from 1.3319 on Friday. Against the euro, sterling firmed to 1.1506 euros from 1.1462 on Friday.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted he would not set out a timetable to leave No 10 as potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham vowed to “change Labour” if he is successful in his effort to return to Parliament.
The Prime Minister said he still wants to lead Labour into the next general election amid calls from within the party to set out a timetable for his exit.
Greater Manchester Mayor Mr Burnham hopes to be Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, which could provide him with a route back to the Commons to challenge for the party leadership and the keys to Downing Street.
Speaking to broadcasters in London, Sir Keir said he was not going to set out a timetable to stand down if Mr Burnham returns to Westminster.
He added: “I do want to fight the next election. Obviously, I recognise that after the local election results, the elections in Wales and Scotland as well, that the first task is obviously turning things around and making sure that my focus is in the right place.”
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund said growth in the UK economy will be stronger this year than previously thought.
The IMF updated its growth projections a month after warning of a sharp slowdown caused by the global energy shock from the US-Iran war.
The influential financial body said it was now predicting UK gross domestic product to rise by 1% in 2026, higher than the 0.8% growth it was forecasting last month.
Responding to the latest report, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The IMF upgrading its growth forecasts and backing our fiscal strategy is yet more proof that this Government has the right economic plan.”
In Europe, equity markets on Monday, the Cac 40 in Paris ended up 0.4%, and the Dax 40 in Frankfurt advanced 1.5%.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1%, the S&P 500 fell 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.7% lower.
On the FTSE 100, Whitbread closed up 2.3% after Corvex Management urged the Premier Inn owner to put itself up for sale, slamming its recently announced new five-year strategic plan.
In a damning letter to Whitbread management, the New York-based activist hedge fund called the status quo “untenable” and said that the need to pursue “meaningful strategic and structural reform had become unignorable”.
As a result, Corvex, which holds a stake of around 7% in Whitbread, said the only “credible” path to unlocking value at Whitbread is a sale of the company.
Anglo America fell 1.4% as it struck a deal to sell its portfolio of steelmaking coal mines in Australia to Dhilmar for up to 3.88 billion dollars in cash.
The London-based mining house said Dhilmar will pay the FTSE 100-listing 2.3 billion dollars upfront, and the deal has a price-linked earnout of up to 1.58 billion dollars.
Anglo American chief executive officer Duncan Wanblad said: “This agreement represents another major step in the simplification of our portfolio ahead of completing our merger with Teck. Through this transaction, we will complete our exit from steelmaking coal.”
Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said: “This not only strengthens the balance sheet, ahead of its planned merger with Canada’s Teck Resources, but also keeps it exposed to future strength in coal prices.”
Capita shares rose 8.9% as the London-based outsourcing and business services company said adjusted revenue rose 2.9% on-year in the first four months of 2026, which it said was in line with expectations.
Looking ahead, Capita said it continues to expect a low to mid-single digit revenue climb in Capita Public Service and expects mid-teen revenue growth in its Pension Solutions business.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Centrica, up 7.70p at 196.95p, National Grid, up 43.50p at 1,231.50p, Pearson, up 37.00p at 1,136.50p, Relx, up 81.00p at 2,504.00p, and SSE, up 74.00p at 2,345.00p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were 3i Group, down 128.00p at 2,082.00p, Airtel Africa, down 15.60p at 312.80p, Mondi, down 16.40p at 734.60p, Polar Capital Technology Trust, down 12.50p at 659.00p and Diploma, down 95.00p at 6,625.00p.
Tuesday’s global economic calendar has UK consumer and wholesale inflation figures, eurozone inflation data and the minutes of the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Tuesday’s local corporate calendar has full-year results from business services group DCC, half-year numbers from supplier of specialised technical products and services, Doploma, and electricals retailer Currys.
Lloyds Banking Group is considering phasing out its Halifax brand, a move that could bring an end to the 173-year-old institution.
The Sun reports that bosses are expected to announce the end of Halifax as a standalone brand this summer.
It is understood that no definitive decisions have yet been made about the brand, which granted its first mortgage in 1853.
Should Halifax be phased out, account numbers would remain unchanged, and customers’ automatic protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) would be unaffected.
“We regularly look at the role our brands play in supporting our customers,” a spokesperson for Lloyds said.
“Our banking customers can already use any Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch, and see any of their products and services in any of their apps – there are no changes for our customers today.”
The Sun, citing industry insiders, reported that any transition would begin on 1 July when people will no longer be able to open new Halifax accounts online or through the app.
By October, Halifax will stop taking on new customers entirely and existing account holders will be gradually migrated to Lloyds Bank, the reports say.
Lloyds declined to comment on the potential timings for any plans.
Britain’s biggest mortgage lender made changes in 2025 that meant its three brands, Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, could share branches and mobile banking services.
The shake-up meant some customers could access a branch that is closer to their home because they will be able to access face-to-face banking regardless of the brand.
However, the banking giant has also shut hundreds of high street branches over recent years.
It started another round of closures this month, which will see 95 branches shuttered across the three brands by March 2027.
The closures will leave the group with 610 branches in total, of which 306 are Lloyds, 238 Halifax and 66 Bank of Scotland.
Lloyds has said that all employees currently working at the affected branches will be offered alternative roles within the business or at other locations.
Halifax and Lloyds operate in the same market in England and Wales, while Bank of Scotland is the group’s only brand in the country.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday decided against activating the countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB), indicating that current financial and credit conditions do not warrant an additional capital requirement for banks, PTI reported.The central bank said the decision followed a review and empirical assessment of indicators used under the CCyB framework.“Based on review and empirical analysis of CCyB indicators, it has been decided that it is not necessary to activate CCyB at this point in time,” RBI said in a statement.Under the RBI (Commercial Banks – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Directions, 2025, the CCyB framework is activated when financial conditions indicate rising systemic risks linked to excessive credit growth.The framework primarily relies on the credit-to-GDP gap as a key indicator, along with supplementary metrics.According to the RBI, the CCyB mechanism is intended to serve two broad objectives.Firstly, it requires a bank to build up a buffer of capital in good times, which may be used to maintain the flow of credit to the real sector in difficult times.Secondly, it achieves the broader macro-prudential goal of restricting the banking sector from indiscriminate lending in the periods of excess credit growth that have often been associated with the building up of system-wide risk.The framework was introduced globally after the 2008 financial crisis as part of measures proposed by the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS) under the Basel framework to strengthen financial system resilience.
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