Common Locations & Experiences has formally introduced plans to construct and function the corporate’s first-ever theme park & resort in the UK, positioned in Bedford. The venture, informally unknown as Common Studios Nice Britain amongst followers, has been revealed through new idea artwork and particulars from through the UK authorities.
For its half, Common Locations & Experiences has introduced its intent to proceed with the Bedford theme park venture following greater than a yr of feasibility, due diligence, and shut engagement with native and nationwide stakeholders, in addition to members of the native surrounding communities. Common Studios Nice Britain was first rumored again in December 2023, when web sleuthing confirmed that Common had bought a big parcel within the UK and was exploring plans for a theme park.
Common experiences that in its interval of public engagement whereas exploring the brand new park idea, the corporate shared its proposal with native communities. Throughout that public engagement, the corporate met with virtually 1,500 individuals and engaged with practically 100 native organisations to listen to concepts and suggestions. Common obtained over 6,000 responses to our engagement survey, with 92% of individuals surveyed expressing their help for Common Studios Nice Britain.
Quick-forward over a yr, and Common has now introduced that the “exploration” is full and the park is shifting ahead! The proposed plans for Common Studios Nice Britain embrace an leisure resort complicated with a world-class theme park with a number of themed lands that includes Common’s distinct model of immersive storytelling, thrilling rides, revolutionary sights and thrilling leisure.
Along with the Common Studios Nice Britain theme park, preliminary plans for the resort complicated additionally characteristic a 500-room resort and a retail, eating and leisure complicated. Will probably be the primary Common-branded theme park within the UK and Europe. At present, a planning proposal has been submitted to the UK authorities with a projected building begin date in 2026, topic to the related planning approvals. Common Studios Nice Britain is projected to open in 2031.
This improvement may have a transformative influence on Bedford and the UK economic system. Common Studios Nice Britain shall be a significant contributor to the inventive arts and tourism industries, producing practically £50 billion of financial profit for the UK and creating 1000’s of latest, high-quality jobs.
Common Studios Nice Britain shall be one of many largest employers within the area as soon as it opens, with roughly 80% of staff anticipated to come back from Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes. Many extra communities will likewise profit from apprenticeships, coaching and academic alternatives.
Right here’s the conceptual artists’ rendering and placement of land space and proposed park:
In its announcement, Common acknowledges the super pleasure its theme parks convey. Nevertheless, it’s too early within the course of to announce any of the sights or experiences. Extra particulars about Common Studios Nice Britain shall be revealed over time, and are topic to the required planning consent approvals.
That is to be anticipated with any new theme park. Again when Epic Universe was first introduced in 2019, it was through an analogous piece of high-level aerial idea artwork. The precise lands weren’t introduced till a number of years later, with the curtain pulled again on particular person sights and experiences even later than that. Granted, there was the entire “COVID” factor that probably threw a monkey wrench into issues and launched uncertainty.
Nonetheless, the web did its factor and inside hours of the primary Epic Universe idea artwork being launched, there have been credible experiences of the lands and even particular sights. These had been just about on the cash with what was constructed and is about to open over 5 years later.
It’s an analogous story with Common Children Resort in Texas, though the accuracy charge seems to be a bit decrease on that one. Level being: we might have a reasonably good concept of what’s deliberate for Common Studios Nice Britain through the rumor mill a lot, a lot earlier than Common’s subsequent reveal and the federal government planning course of permits.
With that in thoughts, right here’s greater decision idea artwork of Common Studios Nice Britain to help in your investigations:
Talking of the federal government, the UK Prime Minister’s workplace additionally issued its personal announcement, stating that the transfer “represents a significant vote of confidence within the UK economic system and the way forward for partnerships between the UK and the US.” It known as the theme park one of many largest and most superior in Europe, and praised Common for its help of the federal government’s “Plan for Change” to create financial development and alternatives.
This press launch additionally highlighted the financial influence, indicating that Common Studios Nice Britain will convey practically 20,000 jobs throughout the building interval, with an additional 8,000 new jobs throughout the hospitality and inventive industries when it opens in 2031. It will help the federal government to ship its development mission – creating greater residing requirements and placing more cash in individuals’s pockets.
In addition to producing vital alternatives, the brand new theme park and resort will convey vital native advantages, and help a stream of ongoing work to unleash the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge hall via development, infrastructure revitalisation and additional job alternatives.
Common expects the location to generate practically £50 billion for the economic system by 2055, with 8.5 million guests anticipated in its first yr. In so doing, Common Studios Nice Britain will change into the most important customer attraction within the UK–and will finally rival Disneyland Paris because the #1 vacationer vacation spot in all of Europe.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned:
Immediately we closed the deal on a multi-billion-pound funding that may see Bedford house to one of many greatest leisure parks in Europe, firmly placing the county on the worldwide stage.
That is our Plan for Change in motion, combining native and nationwide development with creating round 28,000 new jobs throughout sectors equivalent to building, AI, and tourism.
It isn’t nearly numbers; it’s about securing actual alternatives for individuals in our nation. Collectively, we’re constructing a brighter future for the UK, getting individuals into work and guaranteeing our economic system stays sturdy and aggressive.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves mentioned:
At a time of worldwide change, this funding is a vote of confidence in Britain as a spot to do enterprise. Common’s funding will convey billions to the economic system and create 1000’s of jobs to the UK, placing more cash in individuals’s pockets.
Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Company, mentioned:
We couldn’t be extra excited to take this crucial step in our plan to create and ship an unimaginable Common theme park and resort within the coronary heart of the UK, which enhances our rising US-based parks enterprise by increasing our world footprint to Europe.
We respect the management and help of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Minister for Funding Poppy Gustafsson, Tradition Secretary Lisa Nandy and their groups, as we work collectively to create and ship a implausible new landmark vacation spot.
Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Common Locations & Experiences, mentioned:
Bringing a world-class theme park and resort to the UK is an amazing alternative and is a part of our technique to introduce the Common model and experiences to new audiences across the globe. We respect the unimaginable help for our proposed venture and look ahead to bringing it to life within the years forward.
As a part of the Plan for Change, the UK authorities will decide to a significant funding in infrastructure across the web site to help the supply of the venture and guarantee it’s nicely linked and simply accessible. It comes simply days after the federal government signed-off the enlargement of Luton Airport, showcasing how the federal government’s pro-growth agenda is delivering real-life advantages for working individuals.
The deal helps the UK’s world main inventive industries, a growth-driving sector recognized within the authorities’s trendy Industrial Technique, which shall be revealed this spring. The Technique will drive funding into excessive development sectors, unlocking jobs and development proper throughout the nation.
Common Locations & Experiences has a confirmed monitor report of constructing and working main theme parks and resorts throughout the globe. A Common improvement within the UK will be a part of the corporate’s current portfolio of locations throughout the USA and Asia-Pacific.
The proposals for Common Studios Nice Britain stay topic to a planning choice from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Native Authorities. Right here’s some extra financial influence stuff from Common:
Turning to commentary, the timing of that is as soon as once more attention-grabbing. This venture is changing into official within the lead-up to Epic Universe’s opening and as contemporary rumors swirl concerning the firm’s aggressive enlargement plans in Orlando. In the meantime, the information of the week on the Disney aspect of the ledger is that this: Bob Iger Warns of Tariffs’ Influence on Disney’s $60 Billion Growth Plans. (Spoiler: he’s not “warning” that Disney is doubling down on investments!)
Though I hate to contribute to theme park tribalism, it’s feeling like perhaps we’re due for a sequel to: Is Common “Beating” Disney?That article is now over a yr previous, and is particularly about Common Orlando and Walt Disney World, however conceivably could possibly be prolonged to embody the broader Common Locations & Experiences and Disney Parks & Resorts divisions.
It nonetheless seems like Comcast has their foot on the gasoline, pushing the pedal to the steel. In the meantime, it seems like Disney has set the cruise management for a leisurely Sunday drive at finest, and beginning to pump the brakes at worst.
Though Disney has fortunately moved past speaking and blue sky daydreaming about nebulous future plans and eventually has shovels within the soil, it nonetheless looks as if Comcast is shifting a lot quicker. They’re hungrier, and certain appear to be full steam forward on their theme parks enterprise. In the meantime, DINOSAUR continues to be open till 2026 (for causes unknown), the primary of Walt Disney World’s enlargement gained’t come on-line till after 2027, and people $60 billion plans certain appear topic to vary.
It’s not simply Epic Universe in Orlando or this potential Common Nice Britain complicated, both. There’s additionally the Common Children Resort theme park and resort below building Frisco, Texas. Then there’s the Common Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada. These are two smaller-scale initiatives, however they’re indicative of revolutionary ways in which Common is trying to enter the sights market with out tentpole vacationer locations.
Maybe I’m being unfair, or am “nearer” to the Disney aspect of issues, making me extra apt to note the faults and really feel the gradual tempo of those initiatives. I’m undecided. However from the place I sit, it certain looks as if Disney and Comcast are shifting at totally different speeds. Whereas there’s an actual sense of urgency to double-down on Common’s theme parks, Disney feels methodical to a fault. Just like the distinction between a lean startup and a bloated paperwork.
With regard to commentary about Common Studios Nice Britain, the park & resort venture is actually intriguing. One earlier matter of dialog amongst readers on this Florida-centric web site was whether or not it’s a possible menace to Walt Disney World or Common Orlando. My assumption can be that it’s to a point, however not a significant sufficient one to warrant fear by both operator.
Any theme park within the yard of Brits goes to siphon off some company from the UK. That’s simply the sensible actuality of one of these improvement, and no quantity of intelligent menu planning for the trip roster will change that. A sure share of company see “Common” or “Disney” and look at all the parks as interchangeable, and can go to the one most handy to them.
However that already would’ve been occurring to some extent–Disneyland Paris has existed in France for over 30 years. It’s in all probability honest to say that Walt Disney World hasn’t been struggling because of DLP. There are nonetheless loads of Europeans who view Central Florida because the definitive vacation spot for theme parks, and that’ll be true for Common, too, because it quickly has 3 gates in Orlando to Nice Britain’s one. (This park might additionally function a ‘style’ of Common that will get extra high-spending European ‘whales’ to e book journeys to Florida!)
To that time, I’d suppose that Common Studios Nice Britain can be extra of a direct competitor to Disneyland Paris, Alton Towers, Europa Park, Efteling, and different theme parks in Europe. It will virtually actually be extra of a fear for Disneyland Paris than will probably be for Walt Disney World or Common Orlando.
One other factor that’ll be attention-grabbing is what classes Common learns from Disneyland Paris in designing for the climate of Europe. Clearly, there shall be extra indoor sights and one thing like World Bazaar at Tokyo Disneyland or the Arcades at Disneyland Paris to offer a lined purchasing space. One thing like this additionally exists in Common Studios Japan over the principle entrance space. However the idea artwork additionally reveals just a few uncovered curler coasters, so there’s that.
Personally, I believe issues about climate are overstated. Florida is downright depressing for a number of months of the yr, and Walt Disney World and Common Orlando put up unimaginable attendance numbers despite that. Certain, it’s a special type of disagreeable–however I’ll take just a few weeks of chilly and snow over months of warmth and humidity any day. You’ll be able to at all times placed on extra layers–solely so many you may take away earlier than park safety will get concerned.
Joking apart, I believe theme park operators with the finances and experience of Common or Disney can work round inclimate climate in designing their parks to maintain company comfy. Equally as vital, they’ve sufficient drawing energy to draw company year-round. Even when it’s snowy or wet, if phrase will get out that crowds are low, individuals will bear with the climate.
In the end, it must be enjoyable to observe Common Studios Nice Britain take form. Whereas I gained’t fake to be an professional on Nice Britain, the proposed web site in Bedford Borough appears savvy. It presents a handy and accessible location, favorable visitor demographics, and it certain looks as if locals are on board with the venture–and that’s half the battle. If Common’s statements concerning the optimistic reception are correct–and never simply spin–this park ought to have a smoother general path to its 2031 opening, and better chance of native embrace.
On the very least, we wouldn’t count on Brits to dub Common Nice Britain as a “cultural chernobyl,” which is what occurred with Euro Disneyland We hope all of those bulletins from Common create a higher sense of urgency inside the Walt Disney Firm to energy ahead with its personal plans with a higher sense of urgency, fast-tracking initiatives versus hitting pause as a result of tariffs, financial uncertainty, or numerous different issues (most of which shall be a distant reminiscence by 2028–two years after the midterm elections–when these things begins opening).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Common Studios Nice Britain theme park complicated? Excited for this addition? Will you be there for opening day in 2031? Suppose it’ll be a competitor to Walt Disney World and Common Orlando, or principally Disneyland Paris and different main theme parks in Europe? What potential lands and/or sights would you prefer to see Common construct in the UK? Suppose this shall be a worthy addition to Common’s theme parks portfolio? Anticipate Disney to “reply” with a giant announcement of its personal? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share some other ideas or questions you’ve within the feedback under!