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London Entertainment Resort: All Discussion

JAperson said:
I maybe wrong but I thought Lightwater Valley had some quite considerable planning issue's, Particularly when they were trying to build some lodges?
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Correct, there's zero chance of them building anything remotely large scale at LWV so it's a non starter. There's a reason they're now going down the family route, as there's no ability to build the resort side of things sufficiently to fund anything large scale.
 
LWV did get planning permission to build lodges, eventually, they just didn't do it due to " resource issues".
No way on this planet the park would get planning for a large resort.
 
pluk said:
No they don't, they just have to go a bit near the capital for a fairly short stretch on the M25, no more so than everyone in the south has to 'get passed' Birmingham to get to AT. The QE2 bridge doesn't have anything like the issues it used to now the toll booths are gone, it's just a stretch of road like any other.

It's a busy corner of the country, but not prohibitively so.
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Also Euston, Kings Cross and St Panc are all minutes (10max walk) from the St Panc HS1 station. They serve a huge part of the country. Stratford Int is a huge interchange too so if your coming from Birmingham etc it's not difficult. You also have the added extra if you want a night/day in London you can add it onto your experience.
 
Zero determination at the moment, this is nothing but a press release/email going out to the papers to provide coverage again. As mentioned before, the papers gladly oblige because it gets those precious clicks. Zero new information and nothing showing any sort of progress.

Back in the real world, the Planning Inspectorate added this letter earlier in the week from a gentleman represented many businesses on the industrial estate. Away from the discussion of a new park, it really does highlight just how much this messy situation being dragged out has damaged small businesses in the area.
 
"Thin tissue of gloss, hype and spin"...that sums it up.
Didn't realise that the lovely Shagger "Steven" Norris was involved with the company...ex London mayor on the board.
 
I must admit, I’m slightly surprised that they’re still pressing ahead what with the major setback of the SSSI designation, but I must admit that their resilience does give me a sense of optimism that they’ll get it off the ground!

Being realistic, though, I’ll admit that a 2024 opening seems like an extremely tough target to meet at this point, and prior to today, I genuinely thought that they’d delayed it to 2025/2026 (I’m by all means open to surprises, but I’ll say that they’d have to be phenomenally quick to get this thing open in 2024 given that it’s nearly 2022 and the council haven’t even started assessing the application); assuming everything goes smoothly from here (and that’s far from a given, what with the last few months), I could maybe see 2025 or 2026, but 2024 seems like one heck of a tight deadline to meet. They’re going to have to get a real wriggle on to meet 2024; that’s only a little over 2 years away.

Assuming examination starts in 2022 and the application is approved in 2023, 2025 would fit with their previous construction timescale, but I’m unsure whether the SSSI designation means that they’d have to follow different construction methods (more sympathetic to the wildlife) that slow the process down, thus making 2026 a more attainable target?

I’m certainly cautiously optimistic that this thing could eventually happen, though… I’ll admit I’m perhaps less confident than I was a year ago when stuff was progressing so well, as something like an SSSI designation is a pretty big hurdle to overcome, but I do remain cautiously optimistic!
 
Epic Universe has already long broken ground, stalled and resumed construction but is still reportedly aiming for a 2024/5 opening.

And that’s without the planning and consultation complexities that this project has endured or the logistical challenges of building on marshlands (not that Florida ground is the most stable, but still).

I’ll be amazed if they’ve even planted a flagpole and advert board by 2024. Just put it out if it’s misery already.
 
What I can’t believe that we nearly on 100 pages on this topic and no nearer than we were on page 1 but I can understand why they still fighting to get this park build as they already lost millions of pounds by the end of this all it would have been cheaper to buy Thorpe park, Lego land and Chessington off Merlin ( Merlin wouldn’t have sold them) and branding them as the London resorts and added the IP’s attractions already signed up to Thorpe and Chessington.
 
rob666 said:
Our Matt is only "cautiously optimistic".
Things must be very bad indeed.
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To be honest with you Rob, it’s always been fairly cautious optimism from my end; although I’m feeling optimistic that it could eventually happen, things like the SSSI designation and the project’s general turbulent history mean that I wouldn’t like to be too bullish about its prospects.

I’m feeling good about its prospects, however…
 
I'm incautiously pessimistic.

So, how do we think this whole thing will end? Will they officially drop it one day or do we think they'll just stay nothing and let it go away? Looking at all the bluster and hot air they put out, I think the latter. Possibly we'll never see a cancellation announcement, I think they'll just quietly withdrawl with a minimum of fanfayre.
 
Matt.GC said:
I'm incautiously pessimistic.

So, how do we think this whole thing will end? Will they officially drop it one day or do we think they'll just stay nothing and let it go away? Looking at all the bluster and hot air they put out, I think the latter. Possibly we'll never see a cancellation announcement, I think they'll just quietly withdrawl with a minimum of fanfayre.
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Do you think we've got at least another 5 years of them pretending they are going to build it or do you think they'll last even longer?
 
JAperson said:
Do you think we've got at least another 5 years of them pretending they are going to build it or do you think they'll last even longer?
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Good question but I don't think any of us can predict how long they'll drag it out for as I'm sure no-one predicted they'd still be going now. If I was a betting man I'd say they'll still be banging the drum this time next year. I suppose now it's down to how long newspaper websites will tolerate publishing the same copy and paste article. That could be a while yet if they still get clicks from it.

I think they'll withdrawal with a minimum of fuss and the first we'll hear of it will be a journalist doing some digging. They've made such a big song and dance about it I don't think the local rags at least would let it just fade away without reporting it.
 
Matt.GC said:
Good question but I don't think any of us can predict how long they'll drag it out for as I'm sure no-one predicted they'd still be going now. If I was a betting man I'd say they'll still be banging the drum this time next year. I suppose now it's down to how long newspaper websites will tolerate publishing the same copy and paste article. That could be a while yet if they still get clicks from it.

I think they'll withdrawal with a minimum of fuss and the first we'll hear of it will be a journalist doing some digging. They've made such a big song and dance about it I don't think the local rags at least would let it just fade away without reporting it.
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I also doubt the CEO wants his reputation damaged so he'll probably leave for a 'different reason' before they pull out.
 
Ian said:
Epic Universe has already long broken ground, stalled and resumed construction but is still reportedly aiming for a 2024/5 opening.

And that’s without the planning and consultation complexities that this project has endured or the logistical challenges of building on marshlands (not that Florida ground is the most stable, but still).

I’ll be amazed if they’ve even planted a flagpole and advert board by 2024. Just put it out if it’s misery already.
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I've got a friend who's working as a builder for Epic Universe. Every day his supervisor comes around with a cup of coffee and shouts at them to work faster. Last week my friend said to his supervisor, 'We're working as fast as we can'. His supervisor replied. 'No you're not. At the London Resort they're building a theme park in 18 months'.
 
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