Universal Great Britain

[Dinosaurus]

I have also noted the distinct lack of any real NIMBYism. No angry letters in the local papers, no angry petitions etc. I remember when Center Parcs were consulting on building their site only a mile or two away, and the uproar that created at the time. There has been nothing like that this time, on what is a much larger project. To be fair, this site would have had warehousing all over it if not a theme park, I know which I would prefer.

You're right, there was a right to-do about it. In actuality, Center Parcs has had a relatively small impact, so I wonder if it has helped those in and around the area to see that attractions don't necessarily have to equate to hysteria and mayhem.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

Just driven along Manor Road. Trenches are now right up to manor Road so they are wasting no time. Some vehicles parked up but hard to know if they are work people or You Tubers

 

[JoeMcSqueezy]

Universal have asked for ideas on how to celebrate local history in their designs for the new resort, if it goes ahead. Plenty of people have focused on the brickworks - it would be nice to see some of the original bricks used in the construction of a Toothsome's Brickworks & Chocolate Emporium, for example.

The Brickworks thing makes me think maybe of a CityWalk that, in design, is less super contemporary shopping mall, and more local looking and feeling marketplace with unique offerings. Dunno the chances of that, but it could be neat to see

 

[yepthatguy]

I’m a little 50/50 on the brickworks legacy being integrated.

I know someone who worked there for years and it was quite a brutal place just because of what was needed to make bricks. He used to have to unclog the chimneys at the bottom and built up a massive heat resistance on his hands. The toxic fumes produced were all around, and when they started closing some of the chimneys due the environmental impact, many workers were laid off and ended up working at the landfill near Broadmead Road I think it was. It was where big retailers used to literally dump brand new excess stock into the ground, watches, wallets, all sorts, finders keepers.

He died of nose cancer which was suspected to be down to his working at The brickworks for many years. Couldn’t be proven.

I understand that it’s a part of history, however there is a trend to try and rewrite things these days, (woke-ism is it called?) like for example, a new football stadium is being built over a dock in Liverpool, called Bramley Moore Dock. But Mr Bramley Moore was a slave trader AND invested in Liverpool, so they are showing the legacy of the docks, but there will be no statue of him, and it likely won’t be referred to as Bramley Moore, it will be called Everton Stadium.

Appreciate this is just me playing devils advocate.. (am I allowed to say that these days?)

 

[Jake S]

I’m a little 50/50 on the brickworks legacy being integrated.

I know someone who worked there for years and it was quite a brutal place just because of what was needed to make bricks. He used to have to unclog the chimneys at the bottom and built up a massive heat resistance on his hands. The toxic fumes produced were all around, and when they started closing some of the chimneys due the environmental impact, many workers were laid off and ended up working at the landfill near Broadmead Road I think it was. It was where big retailers used to literally dump brand new excess stock into the ground, watches, wallets, all sorts, finders keepers.

He died of nose cancer which was suspected to be down to his working at The brickworks for many years. Couldn’t be proven.

I get this. in the United States there's a long and storied history of building mine-themed attractions, which obviously belies how dangerous an industry it continues to be. so, I'd also be hesitant about romanticizing a brutal industrial industry that disproportionally impacts blue collar workers. with that said, I think there's a way to nod to an important part of history while also examining it honestly — whether that be by including a museum or testimonials from those who toiled in the factories.

I understand that it’s a part of history, however there is a trend to try and rewrite things these days, (woke-ism is it called?) like for example, a new football stadium is being built over a dock in Liverpool, called Bramley Moore Dock. But Mr Bramley Moore was a slave trader AND invested in Liverpool, so they are showing the legacy of the docks, but there will be no statue of him, and it likely won’t be referred to as Bramley Moore, it will be called Everton Stadium.

not building a statue of a slave trader or naming a stadium after him isn't "wokeism" or "ahistorical." you build statues for people you want to honor, and this guy isn't one of them!

 

[bedfordmassive]

I think "woke" is probably the opposite - revisionism of history to accentuate the positive and ignore the negative (looking at you British Empire) would be decidedly "not woke" and is a far more traditional approach to history.

As far as I can tell, being woke just means being conscious of injustices (such as industrial disease), and criticism of "woke-ism" tends to be when it is perceived that the consciousness is being taken too far.

I'd guess the woke approach to the Liverpool example would be to build a museum/monument acknowledging the evils of slavery and dropping the name. After all, who wants to be named after a slaver?

 

[yepthatguy]

I get this. in the United States there's a long and storied history of building mine-themed attractions, which obviously belies how dangerous an industry it continues to be. so, I'd also be hesitant about romanticizing a brutal industrial industry that disproportionally impacts blue collar workers. with that said, I think there's a way to nod to an important part of history while also examining it honestly — whether that be by including a museum or testimonials from those who toiled in the factories.


not building a statue of a slave trader or naming a stadium after him isn't "wokeism" or "ahistorical." you build statues for people you want to honor, and this guy isn't one of them!

Thanks for the replies guys.

My statue mention was a poor reference to what happened in Bristol when a statue was pulled down by protestors, as they felt is was poor taste due to salve trade links I think. But at some point he was honoured, so is it wrong or right?

Thats my connection to the concept of the re-using the bricks where possible for this possible universal park as they specifically mentioned it in the survey. It sounds like a good nod to Bedfords history and its factual history too. It’s just whether they can find the right balance.

I suspect all those London bricks washed up on the lake shores at Marston Millenium park will start to go missing soon. There is a finite amount of actual London Bricks left surely? They don’t make any more so would their value increase haha.

For what it’s worth I think if it goes ahead whatever Universal do will be great.

 

[Jake S]

My statue mention was a poor reference to what happened in Bristol when a statue was pulled down by protestors, as they felt is was poor taste due to salve trade links I think. But at some point he was honoured, so is it wrong or right?

They built a lot of statues of Stalin. Things change. People reappraise their history and decide whether previous generations got it right. It's hard, if not impossible, to know how the present will be judged in the future, but we've got plenty of examples of the facts on the ground (or our feelings about those facts) changing well after an honor was awarded.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

If anyone goes to the presentation today, that also went to the weekend one, it would be interesting to know if the presentation has been revised at all after the first outing. Probably not, but they may respond to any early feedback they have had.

 

[xtpower]

I may be the odd one out here, but I hope we don't get an indoor area like the Kung Fu Panda zone over at Beijing. I watched a review of the Park and that area just felt off to me, the lack of natural light and them having to put the ceiling in complete darkness to avoid breaking immersion felt kinda claustrophobic to me. It also being completely in artififical light made the theming seem somewhat underwhelming.

I'm not against indoor attractions at all, but that specific use of an indoor area just isn't for me.

*edit* Thinking on it, my main issue is the lack of natural light for an area that is themed around being outside. The dissonance between what it's trying to be and what my mind expects is discombobulating.

*second edit* Even at night when you're outside you can see the Sky, you can still see a variety of colours and illuminations from the moon etc etc. This Kung Fu Panda area had none of that, it was just black, and that bothers me.

 

[rob@rar]

I may be the odd one out here, but I hope we don't get an indoor area like the Kung Fu Panda zone over at Beijing. I watched a review of the Park and that area just felt off to me, the lack of natural light and them having to put the ceiling in complete darkness to avoid breaking immersion felt kinda claustrophobic to me. It also being completely in artififical light made the theming seem somewhat underwhelming.

I'm not against indoor attractions at all, but that specific use of an indoor area just isn't for me.

Fully agree. If you look at the Orlando parks most of the attractions are indoors (and work perfectly well), so are already weather proof. Perhaps make some adjustment in terms of a few more covered walkways as you navigate around the lands, ensure all queue areas are fully under cover, etc. But please don't simply stick an ugly roof or canopy over part or all of the lands. I think it shatters the immersive environment.

I also thought the Kung Fu Panda land looked awful, as does Main Street in Tokyo Disneyland.

 

[BBPH]

Given what we’re seeing at Epic, I’d expect to see the covered areas of the park very well intergrated.

I don’t expect to see everyday standard covered structures.

This is going to be a park that is the only Universal park most people will ever see. We’re in for something special.

 

[pbin]

He died of nose cancer which was suspected to be down to his working at The brickworks for many years. Couldn’t be proven.

My grandfather also worked at the brickworks and similarly passed away from lung cancer… so there could’ve been a trend there.

I do think it’ll be nice to have some sort of nod to the brickworks but it depends on how they’ll go about actually doing that.

 

[havaska]

I think "woke" is probably the opposite - revisionism of history to accentuate the positive and ignore the negative (looking at you British Empire) would be decidedly "not woke" and is a far more traditional approach to history.

As far as I can tell, being woke just means being conscious of injustices (such as industrial disease), and criticism of "woke-ism" tends to be when it is perceived that the consciousness is being taken too far.

I'd guess the woke approach to the Liverpool example would be to build a museum/monument acknowledging the evils of slavery and dropping the name. After all, who wants to be named after a slaver?

There already is a slavery museum in Liverpool, just down the road at the Albert Dock.



International Slavery Museum

 

[xtpower]

I found a YT video that covers the second public consultation. I'm not through it all yet but there's already a few new nuggets of info. The biggest was that Universal had talks with national Rail and the Wixams station will change from a two platform station to a 4 platform one to accomodate the increased need.

Here's the video -

 

[Tyr12]

Universal have asked for ideas on how to celebrate local history in their designs for the new resort, if it goes ahead.

If they don't build a Chicken George in the CityWalk, they messed up bad.

 

[xtpower]

With every day my impatience grows stronger, mostly because Universal make amazing parks but also because I want a properly themed Park in the UK to finally shock the other Parks into putting in true effort.

I don't know how many of you have been following the UK's newest Coaster Hyperia over in Thorpe Park, but their attempt at 'theming' and the queue line are both utterly woeful. The Theming is a black box with gold trims and 'stylised designs' and nothing else. The ride queue under the Coaster itself is 7 foot tall gold coloured chicken fencing, so if you wanna feel like a caged animal the Hyperia queue is the one for you. The worst part is the ride itself won't have amazing capacity so the caged animal experience will probably be very lengthy.

So yea, I really want Universal to go ahead and finally force Merlin and their Parks to actually do good theming and not half-arse it like we've been getting for decades now.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

Lots of yellow flags have appeared in the field adjacent to the Bedford Southern Bypass. The area beyond the old brickworks site which is on the top end of this clipping. Noticed today when I was driving along the bypass. I reckon they are about to start digging trenches in this field as well.

 

[Chessy]

With every day my impatience grows stronger, mostly because Universal make amazing parks but also because I want a properly themed Park in the UK to finally shock the other Parks into putting in true effort.

I don't know how many of you have been following the UK's newest Coaster Hyperia over in Thorpe Park, but their attempt at 'theming' and the queue line are both utterly woeful. The Theming is a black box with gold trims and 'stylised designs' and nothing else. The ride queue under the Coaster itself is 7 foot tall gold coloured chicken fencing, so if you wanna feel like a caged animal the Hyperia queue is the one for you. The worst part is the ride itself won't have amazing capacity so the caged animal experience will probably be very lengthy.

So yea, I really want Universal to go ahead and finally force Merlin and their Parks to actually do good theming and not half-arse it like we've been getting for decades now.

Yeah Merlin are lazy when it comes to theming for two reasons I think. They run most of the major parks in the UK and they know the average joe will just show up and spend their money regardless. Because there is simply no other competition.

I also think they are budget cutters when it comes to projects. I think Hyperia was supposed to have a viewing plaza and that got canned, most likely to save some money. Something I also find as a common trend is their rides are so short, you feel cheated for waiting so long.

Universal on the other hand is high quality theming, longer experiences, more variety and longer opening hours. So yeah in short Merlin will be in for a rude wake up call with Universal, and I think they probably know it.

 

[Jake S]

Don't ticket prices for Merlin's parks start under $50? They're not trying to be Universal and I don't think it'd be good for customers if they were.