It said the company was in the “very early stages” of exploring a potential park, adding that while it owns the land it may be “many months before we decide whether to proceed with the project”.
John Reynolds from the company’s external affairs said Universal had “a strong track record of working together with local communities as we consider any new project”.
“Engaging with the local community in Bedford, Kempston Hardwick, Stewartby, Wixams, Wootton, and elsewhere will be no different,” he added.
He said Universal had been “encouraged by the positive nature of conversations” with stakeholders, including Bedford Borough Council and the town’s mayor.
“We plan to work closely with our local communities should we progress,” he added.
Other Universal destinations around the world “create thousands of jobs and generate significant positive economic impact”, he said.
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Universal has been expanding aggressively since the pandemic, with fresh attractions at its long-popular US and Japanese destinations, a whole new park in Beijing in 2021, and another in Florida in 2025.
Universal has launched a website to keep Bedfordshire residents updated with the progress of plans.
“There is still a long way to go, and we may not have any more information to share in the near term,” Mr Reynolds added.
The Bedford site is 45 minutes from London and easily accessible from Luton airport.
The King and Prince Harry won’t meet up on Wednesday during the Duke of Sussex’s trip to the UK due to a timetable clash between a royal garden party and an Invictus Games event.
Harry is in London this week, celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games.
Since his trip from California was announced, there was press speculation over whether he would spend time with his father amid ongoing tensions between the self-exiled prince and the rest of the Royal Family.
This comes about because of a diary clash between the two.
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Sky News camera captures Prince Harry back in UK
At 4pm on Wednesday, the King is understood to be hosting a garden party at Buckingham Palace, in which guests can enjoy the grounds in some of the warmest weather of the year so far.
Meanwhile, around an hour later, Prince Harry is taking part in an event held at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
A spokesperson for the duke previously said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
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Harry’s claim that King has ‘other priorities’ doesn’t bode well
I’d just recorded a prearranged interview with the chief executive of the Invictus Games when an unexpected guest arrived at the Invictus conference.
With his arm propped up against the car window to hide his face, Prince Harry was back, a day earlier than most of us had thought.
The duke’s spokesperson said the King was too busy for a catch-up with his son.
But another phrase stood out even more, as the spokesperson added that Harry understands his father has “other priorities”.
Now it’s easy to read too much into a couple of words, but at a time when we’re looking for any signs of reconciliation it doesn’t read well if a son, who spends most of his time in America now, is suggesting his father is prioritising other things over him.
Children taking part in a “life-transforming” clinical trial have been enjoying foods which would have previously triggered severe allergic reactions, doctors have said.
Some of the results have been described as “nothing less than a miracle” and could mean children with milk and peanut allergies could eat larger varieties of food as there will be less concern over accidental exposure.
Five NHS hospitals have so far joined the £2.5m trial, thanks to funding from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.
Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died in 2016 after suffering a severe allergic reaction to sesame baked into a Pret baguette.
The new clinical oral immunotherapy trial uses everyday items and is giving patients small doses of food they find allergic to build up their tolerance levels.
Sibel Sonmez-Ajtai, paediatric allergy consultant and principal investigator at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This treatment is not a cure for a food allergy, but what it achieves is life-transforming.
“To have a patient who has had anaphylaxis to 4mls of milk to then tolerate 90mls within six to eight months is nothing less than a miracle.”
Patient can eat six peanuts a day
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Thomas Farmer, 11, who was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy when he was one, can now eat six peanuts a day after joining the trial in Southampton.
His mother Lauren said: “At first, it was very scary for both Thomas and us when he did the food challenge, as we weren’t sure what to expect.
“Knowing that Thomas can now tolerate six peanuts a day has taken away so much anxiety around food.
“It will also hopefully mean that he will be able to eat a wider variety of food as we won’t be so concerned about accidental exposure.
“For Thomas to be able to achieve all this with no medicine, just off-the-shelf foods, is amazing.”
Since joining the trial in Newcastle, five-year-old Grace Fisher, who has a milk allergy, is now drinking 120ml milk a day and will soon be able to eat pizza with her friends.
Her mother Emma said: “She is currently on 120ml of milk and loves her daily hot chocolates.”
To date, 139 people aged from two to 23 with allergies to peanuts or cow’s milk have started treatment.
The trial is being run at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
A woman who shouted and waved aggressively at a cyclist on the pavement, causing her to fall into the path of a car, has had her conviction for manslaughter overturned.
CCTV showed Auriol Grey shout “get off the f****** pavement” as Celia Ward approached her in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in October 2020.
The 77-year-old then veered off the 2.4 metre-wide path into the road.
Mrs Ward, a grandmother, died after she was struck by a car.
Grey, who has cerebral palsy and was described by her lawyer as “partially blind”, was given a three-year jail sentence in March 2023 after being convicted of manslaughter at a retrial.
The Court of Appeal ruled today that the manslaughter conviction should be overturned.
Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Mrs Justice Yip and Mrs Justice Farbey, said: “In our judgment, the prosecution case was insufficient event to be left to the jury.”
She added: “In all the circumstances, we have no hesitation in concluding that the appellant’s conviction for manslaughter is unsafe.”
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