A deal to secure the first Universal theme park in Europe has been secured by the Government in the hope it will generate tens of billions of pounds for the economy. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said that Universal’s parent company Comcast Corporation are "really excited to invest in the UK," hoping that the park would showcase "great British exports to the world". Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00Comcast who I met yesterday who are behind this investment through Universal
00:05are really excited to invest in the UK.
00:09We've stabilized the economy, we're bulldozing all of the barriers to growth,
00:13the planning system, the government decision making that was too slow,
00:17the lack of transport infrastructure.
00:19But the other reason that they're excited to invest here in the UK
00:22is because we are really great at the creative industries,
00:26whether it's James Bond, Harry Potter, Paddington Bear,
00:30we are a great place to invest and to showcase British talent.
00:34And I'm really excited that this resort from Universal
00:37won't just bring great American exports to the UK,
00:41it will also showcase great British exports to the world
00:45to eight and a half million people who we expect to visit in the first year alone.
00:50We've worked with the company closely over the last eight months
00:54to make sure that they have the guarantees that they need around transport infrastructure.
00:59Transport was the major blockage.
01:01There are other issues as well, including planning,
01:04that we've worked with them to reform so that we can get the green light on this project.
01:09I'm really delighted we've been able to secure it,
01:12and I'm confident that it will deliver for people in Bedford,
01:14not least because the company has committed to recruiting 80% of the workforce from the local area.
01:20That is really good news for young people growing up in Bedford,
01:23and it's good news for the UK economy.