Universal Studios Bedford: The issues you say need to be tackled ahead of theme park's arrival

The development, located by the A421 at Kempston Hardwick, represents a £6 billion investment from Universal.

The theme park and resort – due to open in 2031 – is projected to bring a colossal £50 billion in economic benefits to the area.

It will employ 20,000 people for its construction and create around 8,000 jobs once opened – with 80 per cent expected to be from in and around Bedford.

The plans also include a 500-bedroom hotel and expansions to Wixams Railway Station, as well as ‘city walk’ including retail, dining and nighttime entertainment at the front of the site – which won’t require a park ticket.

The park is expected to have over 8 million visitors in the first year, which will eventually grow to over 12 million, Patrick Lyons, the council’s manager for strategic sites and inward investment, told the first meeting of the council’s Universal project overview and scrutiny committee

"We've a real opportunity here to build on a transformational, once-in-a-generation investment to realise change across the whole borough”, he said.

In response, the council is developing a tourism strategy to take advantage of the project.

We visited Bedford town centre to ask what would help attract – and manage – tourists after the theme park opens.

One concern was the need for accommodation. James, aged 55 from Bedford, said: “You’re going to need to have suitable levels of accommodation in and around the area, the infrastructure in terms of roads and trains and buses will need to be improved.

“I know, from having family come down to spend time here, that sometimes getting suitable hotel space can be a bit of an issue - so they will definitely have to improve that if you’re wanting to attract people into the town.”

This was echoed by Ian, aged 39, who said: “I can imagine the uptick of Airbnb’s in Bedford and the surrounding villages will be massive [...] this does only one thing for local property prices, both rental and purchasing prices, which is upward pressure. So, people aren’t already on the property ladder and are thinking of doing it, this just puts obviously a greater burden or pressure to step onto the housing ladder...

“What can we do to help those pressures? I suppose hotels.”

Another concern was the potential impact on local infrastructure and health services. Katie, aged 40 told us: “I think the first thing that we need to look at is our infrastructure. Can Bedford cope with the thousands and thousands of people that are about to inundate us in about five years’ time? Is the hospital equipped to deal with general ailments?”

Katie also raised concern about the high street, saying: “I also feel like the high street will definitely need some investment when it goes ahead because at the moment, I feel like it would be quite embarrassing for somebody to just come in town and just look around.”

Finally, some were concerned with the impact of anti-social behaviour – and its potential to turn people away from Bedford.

Ricky, 56, who travels to Bedford from Luton, said: “There’s not enough anti-social behaviour guys, there’s only about half a dozen to cover the whole of Bedford which is madness [...] when they have got to cover the rivers, schools you name it, they got to cover that...

“People are just going to avoid the town centre if it’s going to be like that with the behaviour of some of the kids around here, so they’re going to avoid that and they’re going to come via other locations, not into Bedford and then to Universal. As I say, we’re from outside Bedford; we see it coming in here...

“...[if] you’re a tourist you don’t want people harassing you for money and other things like that, and with the government changing the law decriminalising rough sleeping begging and stuff like that, I know there’s another law that overrides that...

“...but as a tourist you don’t want that, you just want to come here enjoy the theme park, maybe enjoy the town centre...

“The problem is if [...] Luton clean up their area and other areas clean up theirs; people [are] going to stay there in hotels or whatever else there, then travel to Universal… they’re not going to want to actually spend the money and the time in the town centre.”

You can find out more about Universal United Kingdom Resort online, at https://universalukproject.co.uk/

> What do you think Bedford needs to do to make the most of Universal’s arrival? Email [email protected]