Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[JoeMcSqueezy]

In this context I believe Universal meant "original" to them, and not local/chain restaurants you can find outside of Universal Resorts...

Oh hey, maybe now the UK can get a Bubba Gump again after the one in London closed

The most important part of the Project

 

[havaska]

Curious to see if Hard Rock would come to City Walk?

There’s already five in the UK so it’s not really a unique proposition. I would have thought they’d want something else.

What I can see happening, is a nearby retail and shopping park opening nearby that ‘piggybacks’ on universal and it having the usual suspects; Nando’s, a Premier Inn, Five Guys etc and could potentially see a Hard Rock there. Maybe even a Hard Rock Hotel.

 

[xtpower]

The UGBU video was really good and there were a few new piece of info there which is always nice. I really do like the channel, his narration is on point and he has the voice for it.

 

[BBPH]

Toothsome
Big Fire
Sky Sports.. Grill?
Vivo
Cowfish

Maybe?

 

[yepthatguy]

The UGBU video was really good and there were a few new piece of info there which is always nice. I really do like the channel, his narration is on point and he has the voice for it.

I think he lives nearby. For me it’s a classic Bedford angle. Great awareness and intellect, and pure dry humour.



I’m subscribed.

 

[yepthatguy]

There’s already five in the UK so it’s not really a unique proposition. I would have thought they’d want something else.

What I can see happening, is a nearby retail and shopping park opening nearby that ‘piggybacks’ on universal and it having the usual suspects; Nando’s, a Premier Inn, Five Guys etc and could potentially see a Hard Rock there. Maybe even a Hard Rock Hotel.

Would Universal open a shop in Bedford Town Centre to drive some business that way?

There are so many empty shops / units in the town centre and the classic arcades now. It’s very sad to see. It’s not a bad place.

 

[BBPH]

Would Universal open a shop in Bedford Town Centre to drive some business that way?

There are so many empty shops / units in the town centre and the classic arcades now. It’s very sad to see. It’s not a bad place.

I’d expect some pop up shops/ preview centres in various high traffic shopping areas throughout the 2 hour radius.

London - Oxford Street/ Westfield
Bedford - won’t be required but has to be done
Milton Keynes - The Centre:MK
Cambridge - Grand Arcade

 

[havaska]

I think he lives nearby. For me it’s a classic Bedford angle. Great awareness and intellect, and pure dry humour.



I’m subscribed.

He has another YouTube channel where he’s been and visited Universal Orlando amongst over things. He’s called Mike Jeavons.

https://youtu.be/R0TVui-w_RI?si=HnOJTMzUx5yubsOh

 

[IzzyB]

I never understood why people keep going on about the weather. I grew up in that area (North Herts) and it's never been particularly bad weatherwise, except for the odd year where we got a good covering of snow which was about once every 5 years and once every 10-12 years during the 90's and early 00's.

As for rainfall, last year and this year have been extreme for rain over here and Orlando has multiple months of over double the rainfall that Bedford's worst average month got during that period. Like it's not even a comparison, Orlando's rainfall is genuinely much much worse than Bedford. But sure we get our overcast days and drizzle but it's hardly something a Theme Park operator would be bothered by.

Oh sure it gets chilly for over half the year, but I'm sure people will manage, a good coat and some gloves and hey you'll be fine.

There are parks in the US only closed 2.5 months and mainly because of snow and freezing temps and they have similar weather conditions during the year except brutal heat in the summer. With no snow and no freezing, year round sounds about right.

nice - barely remember any rain the few times I've been to Florida (aside from being caught in a hurricane one year ... that was _a lot_ of rain!). My confirmation bias kicking in for sure.

--

And hurrah for all-year-round operations ... will be the only year-round park (I think), although AT do seem to be trying to increase the number and scope of close-season events.

Florida rains ALL the time. But it is mostly an hour or two a day. But with it comes lightning. So rain all the parks know how to deal with.

 

[ZeroSight]

There’s already five in the UK so it’s not really a unique proposition. I would have thought they’d want something else.

What I can see happening, is a nearby retail and shopping park opening nearby that ‘piggybacks’ on universal and it having the usual suspects; Nando’s, a Premier Inn, Five Guys etc and could potentially see a Hard Rock there. Maybe even a Hard Rock Hotel.

I think Bedford Interchange will surely expand, there's a bit of land nearby they could buy and it's right at the top of the north parcel of land.

Would Universal open a shop in Bedford Town Centre to drive some business that way?

There are so many empty shops / units in the town centre and the classic arcades now. It’s very sad to see. It’s not a bad place.

Covid hit the High Street hard, however I saw some figures the other day that Bedford High Street is fighting back and footfall is rising. Some excellent independent shops popping up. Generally the east side of the High Street into the Castle Quarter is leading the charge. But a few others popping up to the west of the High Street as well.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Going on the topic of CityWalk in Universal Great Britain, there definitely should be a movie theatre (or, in Britain's terms, "cinema") there! Trying to think of which British cinema chain would operate it. Odeon and Vue are my top two picks. Cineworld is off the list, because of the financial troubles they’ve been in. What if either Omniplex, Everyman, Showcase, or The Light opens a cinema in CityWalk GB?

 

[tielo]

Nice video with the latest updates.

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

Going on the topic of CityWalk in Universal Great Britain, there definitely should be a movie theatre (or, in Britain's terms, "cinema") there! Trying to think of which British cinema chain would operate it. Odeon and Vue are my top two picks. Cineworld is off the list, because of the financial troubles they’ve been in. What if either Omniplex, Everyman, Showcase, or The Light opens a cinema in CityWalk GB?

Aren't the cinemas on CityWalk just operated by Universal?

 

[mccgavin]

Aren't the cinemas on CityWalk just operated by Universal?

In Universal Orlando they have a Cinemark. In Hollywood, it's operated by AMC.

 

[BBPH]

It’s probably nothing, but the new Borehamwood Sky Studios hosted a school holiday cinema last year.

It was a strange thing for them to do but sold out multiple screenings in minutes, maybe they do it themselves.

 

[Jake S]

Aren't the cinemas on CityWalk just operated by Universal?

In the United States, film distributors can’t also be film exhibitors (if I recall correctly).

 

[Chessy]

Nice video with the latest updates.

It mentions about a 500 bed hotel which we can assume will be similar in style to EU or the Beijing park hotel. I would have thought it’s highly likely to have at least 1 or 2 more slightly affordable hotels. Similar to Endless Summer and their new offerings just outside Epic.

That would keep a rounded offering until they develop more hotels and property over time.

 

[yepthatguy]

Looks like construction traffic will enter at the farm on Broadmead Road at the centre of the southern parcel.

I’ve heard the farmer leased the land and didn’t own it, and it now belongs to Universal, which is strange because it’s not in the red boundary but it’s the easiest route into the southern parcel at present.

This might be old news.

 

[havaska]

Just seen this on YouTube. A *lot* of trenches have been dug on the plot (presumably to survey the land). Even in fields that have clearly been planted for crops, which is interesting as it means this season’s crops would be lost. Makes me think this is very likely to happen and that enabling works for construction will begin this year.

https://youtu.be/lkpxk7uhc9w?si=pGCWMY3e8-bMznel

 

[tielo]

Just seen this on YouTube. A *lot* of trenches have been dug on the plot (presumably to survey the land). Even in fields that have clearly been planted for crops, which is interesting as it means this season’s crops would be lost. Makes me think this is very likely to happen and that enabling works for construction will begin this year.

You are talking about a company that had a farmer make a huge corn field to put a part of it in front of a haunted house at HHN. There where back up patches made for if the corn was too early or to leat or if corn needed to be replaced while the event was running.
The most exciting thing for me is that they (as said in the video) probably will decide in June of they go forward with this project.