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The first Universal theme park in Europe will open in Bedfordshire by 2031, creating nearly 28,000 jobs and delivering an estimated £50bn boost to the UK economyLogo of Universal United Kingdom ResortAuthor: Sam Hall, PAPublished 9 hours agoLast updated 6 hours agoThe name and logo of the UK’s Universal theme park have been unveiled, as investments of £7.3 billion into the project were announced by the American company and the Government.The theme park will be named Universal United Kingdom Resort, with enabling works on the Bedfordshire site currently in progress and construction soon to begin.Universal expects the site, the company’s first theme park and resort in Europe, to generate nearly £50 billion of economic benefit for the UK economy by 2055.The theme park is expected to attract millions of visitors each year including more than a million additional overseas visitors, with the resort set to become the UK’s most popular tourist attraction.Comcast NBCUniversal has committed to invest more than £5 billion in the entertainment resort complex during the expected five years of construction, as well as an additional £1 billion in capital investment over its first 10 years of operation.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it was “one of the largest-ever investments in the UK tourism sector” and would bring nearly 20,000 jobs during construction and a further 8,000 jobs when the resort opens in 2031.Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaking to workers during a visit to the site of the Universal theme park in BedfordThe Government will support the project with an investment of £1.3 billion on regional and local community infrastructure to “ensure the park can operate successfully, with improved transport links for local residents and visitors from across the UK and abroad”, DCMS said.Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visited the site on Wednesday morning and met some of the first workers employed on the project after being greeted by Mark Woodbury, chairman and chief executive of Universal Destinations & Experiences.Speaking to Mr Woodbury and Universal workers on her first visit to the site, Ms Reeves, who donned a hi-vis jacket and hard hat, said: “Thank you for choosing the UK.“I know that you could have chosen locations in other parts of Europe.“We’re really thrilled you’re going to be here and we’re determined to work with you to make it the massive success that I know it’s going to be.”Mr Woodbury said the resort would bring “immersive storytelling, thrilling attractions and unparalleled creativity and innovation to the UK”.He told Ms Reeves the company was “ready to break ground and make this the most spectacular theme park in all of Europe, if not the world.”Molly Murphy, president of Universal Creative, said the company was “thrilled” to have the Chancellor visit to mark the beginning of enabling works on the site.Asked why Bedfordshire was selected, Ms Murphy told reporters: “We chose Bedfordshire because it is an exciting place.“There’s an amazing amount of creative talent in the UK that we can tap into and this place is a perfect location to build the greatest theme park in all of Europe, so we’re very excited about doing that.”Following the site visit, the Chancellor and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hosted Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast Corporation, and Mr Woodbury at 11 Downing Street to unveil the resort’s name and logo.Mr Roberts said the company looked forward to “creating a spectacular destination that supports the UK creative industries and brings joy to millions for generations to come”.The Chancellor said: “This landmark investment in the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor will unlock nearly £50 billion of economic growth and create tens of thousands of jobs across Bedfordshire in construction, hospitality, creative and technology sectors.“Our own investment in transport and infrastructure means that local people will benefit – improving connectivity, backing our creative industries, and bringing millions of visitors to the UK from across the world.”As part of the £1.3 billion investment, the Government will provide a grant of £400 million through the Exceptional Regional Growth Fund and DCMS will provide a grant of £438 million to invest in new community infrastructure to “maximise the benefits of the development and support growth across the region”.These grants will be paid only once Universal has completed the community infrastructure (in the case of the DCMS grant) and officially opened the theme park and resort.The Department for Transport will also upgrade the strategic road and rail network, on the A421 and at Wixams train station at an expected cost of £474 million.DCMS said Universal choosing Bedford for its first European park is “a testament to the strength of the UK’s visitor offering and creative industries”.It added that Universal had “committed to world-class training opportunities for the next generation of its workforce, including through a range of apprenticeships and internships”.Culture Secretary Ms Nandy said: “This unparalleled investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and puts rocket boosters under our entertainment industry.“When it comes to creating world-class experiences, the UK is second to none. We’re proud to be backing British industry, investing in local talent and partnering with powerhouses like Universal to create jobs, growth and opportunities across the UK.”More than 100 people in the UK have already been employed to work on the project, with Universal receiving expressions of employment interest from some 33,000 individuals.Around 80% of employees at the theme park and resort are expected to come from Bedfordshire and the surrounding regions.Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio 70s on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio70s.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.

Personal data on nearly 33,000 patients was stolen and shared online, in June 2024, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has revealed.
The trust said it was “possible” that data on patients who had laboratory or diagnostic results between 2011 and 2020 from the hospitals it operates, Bedford Hospital and Luton & Dunstable Hospital.
The breach affected an organisation that provides essential services to the trust, as part of a broader incident affecting other healthcare bodies, the trust said.
Image credit: Pexels
Diagnostic results
As the data was fragmented across multiple databases, it took nearly two years for specialist analysis to clarify what information was present and what organisations it related to.
Data on the 32,927 affected could include name, date of birth, NHS number, postcode, and test results, the trust said.
“During the attack, criminals unlawfully accessed internal systems and extracted a set of files, which were later published on online forums known for sharing stolen data,” the trust said in a lengthy statement on Tuesday.
“In October 2025, the supplier informed us that some data relevant to our organisation was included in the material they had recovered and analysed. We have since undertaken our own review of that material.”
The trust said it believes the risk of the data being misused is low, as it is fragmented and historic.
Historic data
It said the supplier has obtained a court injunction to help prevent third parties from sharing the information.
It noted that publication alone did not mean the data had been used in a harmful way, adding that it was not aware of evidence that the information had been accessed or used inappropriately.
But it acknowledged there was a “limited risk” of personal data being used in unsolicited contacts by potential scammers.
The trust said it liaised with the NHS England information governance team and notified the Information Commissioner’s Office.