The UK government has pledged £1.3bn to help Universal build its first theme park in Europe, a project planned for the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks near Bedford that ministers say is now moving closer to construction.
Rachel Reeves visited the proposed site on Wednesday as the funding package was unveiled, putting fresh political backing behind a resort the government says will create 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 more once it opens. The Universal United Kingdom Resort is due to begin operating in 2031 and is expected to draw about 8.5 million visitors in its first year.
The total support package is made up of £400m from the regional growth fund, a £438m grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and an estimated £474m from the Department for Transport for strategic road and rail projects in the region. Reeves said the investment would unlock nearly £50bn in economic growth, while Comcast said it will put in more than £5bn over the five-year construction period and a further £1bn over the first decade of operations.
That mix of public money and private capital is what gives the Bedford plan its force and its awkwardness. Universal is committing to one of the biggest leisure developments ever proposed in the UK, but the scale of state support will raise questions about how much taxpayers are being asked to underwrite a private entertainment complex. The government had already set out almost £500m in infrastructure funding last June, including a station development at Wixams, before Wednesday’s broader announcement.
Comcast said the deal came after it had considered several countries before settling on Bedfordshire, and Brian Roberts called it a historic partnership and a special moment as Universal brings its first theme park and resort to Europe. For Bedford, the immediate next step is simple: construction is due to begin soon, and the real test is whether the promised jobs, transport upgrades and visitor numbers arrive on the timetable now attached to the site.
