Universal has gotten the ball rolling for its first ever European theme park. According to the BBC, the company has set up a temporary headquarters in the top floor of Bedford Borough Hall in Bedford, England. Mayor Tom Wootton has commented that “hundreds of people” from Universal will be using the council Bedford Borough Council’s space to work on “top secret” plans for the upcoming park.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Bedford Borough Council’s leadership and officers and are appreciative of their ongoing support as we establish a temporary home for the Universal team,” reads a statement from Universal Destinations & Experiences.
Universal revealed late last year that Bedford will be home to the company’s first park venture in Europe, will 2031 being the goal year for the park’s grand opening.
The following was originally published December 18, 2025:
Universal is officially coming to the UK with the company’s first European theme park. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has granted Universal permission to break ground on a new park near Bedford, England, about 50 miles outside of London.
At the Bank of America 2025 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference in September, Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences Mark Woodbury commented that Universal is aiming for a 2031 park opening. Universal has commented that the park will have a “transformative impact” on the local economy, and is expected to welcome over eight million visitors a year.
The complex is planned to house a major theme park with several themed lands, multiple resorts, and retail and dining experiences.
It’s a full-blown Universal theme park with a 500-room hotel that is part of it, very much like Epic in terms of a park with a hotel,” commented Woodbury. “We’ve created a different mix of attractions that we think will work great in the UK.”
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