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[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

Stranger Things is definitely an IP I'd like to see come to one of the major parks in the world at some point. I think it lends itself really well to the escapism aspect of Themed areas and the 'Upside Down' couldn't be more Theme Park Jargon if it tried to be.

Having said that..... Season 5 so far has been pretty disappointing so i do worry about the longevity of it now. Hopefully the 2hr long finale on New Years Day will save it somewhat though.
 
I’m not sure what all the hate is about for this season
Yes it’s probably two years too late but I do like the change in direction of the story. It does rest on this last episode though
 


Added two photos to Facebook earlier, can't seem to add images direct here, looking at the Core Zone today. Going to try and take similar photos throughout the project.

I can't wait to see the actual plans for the core zone, does seem to have a lot packed in with hotel, citywalk and EWR station too.
 
Bert2theSpark said:
First major former Merlin staff member has been confirmed to work on Universal UK, Bradley Wynne, the Wicker Man Creative Lead!

From a now deleted LinkedIn post!
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Hasn’t Bradley been out of Merlin for quite a few years now? I don’t seem to remember him doing a lot after Wicker Man.

I’ll be interested to see if anyone leaves Merlin directly for Universal. I think that might be more of an issue for Merlin.
EDIT - The post is still there, and publicly visible, for me (I’m not a connection):

So that's 2025! I'm absolutely thrilled to say that 2026 brings a new chapter for me, as I prepare to join Universal Creative as a Creative Director for the UK Project in Bedford.


When news first broke that Universal Destinations & Experiences had acquired land just a stone's throw from my home in Bedfordshire, it felt surreal and serendipitous.


As a lifelong theme park enthusiast, it brings a huge sense of excitement and optimism for the future of the industry here in the UK. What a gift for Bedfordshire and the wider region.


On a personal level, having made this industry my life's work, I knew immediately this was an opportunity I had to pursue wholeheartedly.


Thank you Moira O., Priya Bhalla, and the team at Universal Creative in Orlando for making my application process a delight. I'm incredibly honoured to be able to say that I'm going to work with such an amazing team on what I genuinely believe is the most exciting theme park project in the world right now, and I can't wait to get stuck in and pour my heart and soul into this project.


Whatever 2026 brings for you, I wish you all the very best for the year ahead. Happy New Year!
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https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brad...s&rcm=ACoAAFnvvlkBztgMfDIYvqlueqIqBc6abAkqk1E
 
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I saw it months ago Merlins biggest worry is that they poach talent from the company. Better pay, more security and not having to endure endless Merlin staff restructurings.

If your wanting to get into the industry in the UK people will be attracted to a new project like Universal, outsourcing could really come back to bite Merlin.
 
Merlin recruits a few thousand keen, eager, educated young staff every year.
The industry is notorious for retention issues.
Internal promotion with experience happens, a lot, once you are part way up the greasy pole.
Luckily there is a fresh recruitment drive every year.

The real issue for Merlin is the state of the economy.
Leisure spending is the first to go when times get hard.
Times are hard for many.
 
rob666 said:
Merlin recruits a few thousand keen, eager, educated young staff every year.
The industry is notorious for retention issues.
Internal promotion with experience happens, a lot, once you are part way up the greasy pole.
Luckily there is a fresh recruitment drive every year.

The real issue for Merlin is the state of the economy.
Leisure spending is the first to go when times get hard.
Times are hard for many.
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Talent poaching goes on everywhere Merlin are not immune but you are correct the industry has retention issues, which can't be helped by Merlins current financial predicament.

Times are indeed hard, not helped by a government that seemingly saying it wants to help leisure and hospitality yet is quite happy to tax it into oblivion.
 
Theme Parks aren’t unique when compared to the rest of Hospitality, turnover of 50-60% is typical across the industry. Just that it’s a lot more noticeable when the work environment is several thousand people in a campus-style environment vs 15-50 people working in a pub or shop.

I expect a lot of back-forth with Merlin and Universal though because moving between companies is the main way of getting promoted nowadays. Bradley Wynne being the Creative Director for the park is a lot bigger than being the Creative Lead for one attraction.
 
Bert2theSpark said:
Theme Parks aren’t unique when compared to the rest of Hospitality, turnover of 50-60% is typical across the industry. Just that it’s a lot more noticeable when the work environment is several thousand people in a campus-style environment vs 15-50 people working in a pub or shop.

I expect a lot of back-forth with Merlin and Universal though because moving between companies is the main way of getting promoted nowadays. Bradley Wynne being the Creative Director for the park is a lot bigger than being the Creative Lead for one attraction.
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I don't think he's necessarily Creative Director for the Park, the way Universal works is that you have Creative Directors for specific things like rides and lands. Velocicoaster had a Creative Director, Epic had Creative Directors for each of the lands and a specific Creative Director for the e-ticket dark rides.
 
Quantum said:
Talent poaching goes on everywhere Merlin are not immune but you are correct the industry has retention issues, which can't be helped by Merlins current financial predicament.

Times are indeed hard, not helped by a government that seemingly saying it wants to help leisure and hospitality yet is quite happy to tax it into oblivion.
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Government have not taxed anyone into oblivion, the issue is energy costs which are a product of increasing fossil fuel prices.

Tax changes in the UK have done nothing to hurt Merlin.
 
Dave said:
Government have not taxed anyone into oblivion, the issue is energy costs which are a product of increasing fossil fuel prices.

Tax changes in the UK have done nothing to hurt Merlin.
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Same can’t be said for small business though like pubs, business rate relief is getting worse and some pubs are having to find an extra 20/30/40K. Merlin/Universal can afford to take the hits.
 
While I understand there is substantial interest in who has been employed by Universal for the new park, could I please ask people to be mindful of the information they a sharing. This is especially important for those that work within the industry who may have people as connections, as the information they may have shared may not be intended to be shared publicly. If any news on new roles is posted in future, please ensure the below:
  • Any information on an individual’s involvement in the project should only be provided if it is for key positions that will impact the development and/or operation of the park.
  • It should only be discussed if they have chosen to share it publicly. That is, the information they’ve posted is accessible to everyone, not just their connections.
  • To allow the team to verify this, a link should be provided to their profile post or news article where this information is publicly confirmed.
Simply put, please respect people’s privacy and work under the assumption that they do not intend to share it publicly unless it is extremely clear that this is not the case.
 
Dave said:
Government have not taxed anyone into oblivion, the issue is energy costs which are a product of increasing fossil fuel prices.

Tax changes in the UK have done nothing to hurt Merlin.
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So increased NI, Business rates and minimum wage rises don't hurt Merlin? Many businesses are very worried about Thier business rates due to the revaluation which has wiped out any befits of the government fiddling the multipliers, that's just a fact.

Alton Towers used to be the single largest rates property in the UK ( It's now the Tottenham Hotspur stadium) I'm full expecting Universal UK to take that title
 
Quantum said:
Alton Towers used to be the single largest rates property in the UK ( It's now the Tottenham Hotspur stadium) I'm full expecting Universal UK to take that title
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Do you have a source for the assertion that Alton Towers was ever the "single largest rates property in the UK"? That title invariably belongs to Heathrow Airport, which has a Rateable Value in the hundreds of millions (ÂŁ210 million in the 2023 list, if memory serves). Compared to that, Alton Towers, with an RV of roughly ÂŁ5 - 6 million, is a rounding error. It isn't even the largest ratepayer in Staffordshire. I suspect JCB World Headquarters might have something to say about that.
Quantum said:
So increased NI, Business rates and minimum wage rises don't hurt Merlin?
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Regarding the impact of National Insurance and Minimum Wage rises on Merlin specifically, there is a significant nuance you are missing. Merlin has spent the last few years aggressively inoculating itself against exactly this kind of payroll tax hike.

They have outsourced Food & Beverage to Aramark.

They have outsourced Entertainment to RWS Global.

They have outsourced Facilities Management to OCS.

The thousands of staff flipping burgers, performing in shows, and cleaning the toilets are no longer Merlin employees. Merlin does not pay their Employer National Insurance contributions, nor are they directly liable for their Minimum Wage increases. Those headaches now belong to the contractors.

Merlin has effectively offshored a massive portion of their employment tax liability. Whilst they will still feel the pinch for their core operations and engineering teams, they are significantly more shielded from the "triple whammy" than a park like Paultons or Blackpool Pleasure Beach, who still employ their own staff.

Aramark and RWS won't just absorb those costs out of the goodness of their hearts, of course. They will likely cut service levels, reduce staffing, or increase prices to compensate. So whilst Merlin's balance sheet might look cleaner, the guest experience (and the price of a hot dog) will likely still suffer.
Quantum said:
Many businesses are very worried about Thier business rates due to the revaluation which has wiped out any befits of the government fiddling the multipliers, that's just a fact.
Click to expand...
Merlin wouldn't benefit from the 40% relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure because that relief is capped at ÂŁ110,000 per business, not per property. For a company with Merlin's turnover, ÂŁ110,000 is what they lose down the back of the sofa in the arcade machines.

The real sting is indeed the introduction of the permanently higher multiplier for properties with a Rateable Value over ÂŁ500,000 to fund the tax cut for smaller high street shops. Merlin is effectively being taxed more to subsidise the local chippy.
 
*taps topic title*

Wandering off topic into discussion about business rates and outsourcing at Alton Towers/Merlin here. While I understand people may want to discuss comparisons between Merlin and the newcomer to the UK market, such extensive discussion about Merlin isn’t really relevant here.

Please before hitting that post reply button, think about whether it is actually relevant to that title at the top of the page. That’s especially relevant with lengthier posts, where a multitude of replies to differing points only serve to drag things further off topic.
 
Another small step... Bedford has now been added to Universal's global jobs website!

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How bad does the global security and peace situation have to get before investments like this get impacted?

It's not unforseable, if USA invade Greenland, that we effectively end up straight up engines of the USA alongside Europe, and that would likely come with sanctions and restrictions in trade. At some stage do Universal asses the risk and pause spending to see how this plays out before they commit to much?
 
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