the one on the sharp bend, is now showing up as sold. Wandering Northerner, who has a much faster way of following the sales than myself, reported this last year, but generally I wait until the sales show up on the public registery as sold before posting.

We know that Universal have made the purchase because of the activity on the property matching others we know have been purchased by Universal, that and Wandering Northerner confirmed that SC Collection Ltd were involved and are one of the companies Universal purchased to aquire the land here in Bedfordshire.

That leaves only a handful of residential properties left on Manor Road that are still in private ownership.

Photo courtesy of Wandering Northerner.

Just a quick update – this page will be changing its name back to 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹. The previous change was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction on my part, and no legal notices were actually involved. I’ve since had some really helpful conversations, and moving forward, as long as it’s clear this is an unofficial community (which it always has been!), we can keep building this amazing space together.

I’ll need to wait for Facebook’s 60-day page name change cooldown, which will pass early next month. After that, we’ll be back to normal, just with a few content tweaks to respect our neighbours’ concerns and a few disclaimers sprinkled in here and there. Thanks for sticking around!

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 12 months since Keir Starmer and the UK government made the official announcement that Universal Studios UK would be built right here in the UK.

That moment didn’t just confirm a theme park — it sparked a whole wave of excitement, imagination, and possibility. What once felt like a distant idea suddenly became real, and we’ve been on this journey together ever since.

Over the past year, we’ve seen plans evolve, momentum build, and a passionate community come together around something genuinely special. The conversations, the theories, the shared hype — it’s been amazing to be part of.

And the best part? We’re still just getting started.

Here’s to one year since that official announcement — and everything still to come 🙌

#UniversalStudiosUK #ThemeParkUK #Bedford #ThemeParkCommunity #ExcitingTimes #FutureIsBright #FBLifestyle

🚨 BIG Shift Incoming at Universal Studios UK… You Can Feel It Now 👀 - April 2026 update!

https://youtu.be/BUzB_eXMaVI

Just got some fresh snaps of the Core Zone at Universal Studios UK. This trench is right along Manor Road, near to Kempston Hardwick train station, and literally opposite the main entrance of the concrete slab. The digger work has paused for now in this part of the Core Zone for now, but the archaeologists are still buzzing around that hole surrounded by the bright orange fencing.

#CoreZone #UniversalStudiosUK #FBLifestyle #UrbanExploration #LocalCuriosity #ConstructionWatch #ShareTheMystery #BedfordDevelopments

Studios UK this week with work continuing to strip back the topsoil, slowly revealing what lies beneath and uncovering pieces of history hidden under the surface.

With the recent dry weather, the ground has firmed up massively, making it much easier for contractors to get stuck in and push things forward. You can really start to see the momentum building now.

What’s especially exciting is that over the next month or two, we’re likely to see a shift away from archaeology and into more enabling works — which is when things really start to feel like a theme park build is underway 👷‍♂️

It’s all slowly but surely coming together… and if today is anything to go by, things are only going to get more interesting from here.

#UniversalStudios #UniversalStudiosUK #Bedford #Bedfordshire #ThemeParkConstruction #ConstructionLife #SiteUpdate #COREZone #UKDevelopment #Diggers #Groundworks #EnablingWorks #Archaeology #BehindTheScenes #ThemeParkFans #FutureOfFun #ProjectUpdate #ConstructionUpdate #UKProjects #DevelopmentLife #OnSite #ExcitingTimes #WatchThisSpace

A digger and a couple of flumper trucks are still busy digging and shifting dirt while some orange jackets are still searching in the dirt looking for treasure.

I'm not seeing anymore shadows in this area other than the one we highlighted the other week. 👍

#UniversalStudios #history #archeology #themepark #fblifestyle

I took this image this afternoon from atop of Brogborough Hill, around a mile or so from Junction 13 of the M1 which is directly behind us. We look towards Bedford with the new(ish) A421 bypass to the left which will be the main feed road to Universal from the M1 and the old A421 Bedford Road that eventually is called Woburn Road when it gets closer to Universal to the right.

The closest large lake is Brogborough Lake, then in the distance it Stewartby Lake, you can just make out the wind turbine that you can walk right up to that's placed on the lake. It's quite the interesting noise when standing underneath it.

Split Stewartby Lake in half and just to the right of your center point and a little futher away, just a smidge, is the Universal Studios Construction Site.
👍

#A421 #Bedford #M1 #UniversalStudios #fblifestyle #roads #transport

to Danish Camp for a few drinks — and honestly, it’s hard to beat that ride. You can cycle the whole way from Bedford without touching a road, following the old railway line… which makes it even better knowing the history you’re riding along.

Danish Camp itself sits right on the banks of the River Great Ouse in Willington, and it’s more than just a great little bar and restaurant (although the food and setting definitely don’t disappoint). The whole area is steeped in history.

Right next to it is the “Moated Site” — a Scheduled Ancient Monument and one of the few surviving water-filled moats from the Viking age. It’s believed the Danes sailed inland from The Wash and settled here, using it as a homestead and repair harbour. When you’re there, you can actually feel that sense of history in the landscape.

Even the spot the café sits on has a story — it was once Willington railway station, part of the old Varsity Line between Bedford and Sandy, which opened in 1903 and closed in 1968. You can still spot parts of the original platform and buildings if you know where to look… and now that same route has been brought back to life as the cycle path we all enjoy today.

Bit of history, bit of sunshine, a couple of drinks by the river — not a bad way to spend the day at all 🚴‍♂️🍻

#bedford #sunshine #uk #england #spring #cycling

enjoy this photo of the newly created haul road on the Core Zone at Universal Studios UK whilst you stuff your face with chocolate. 👍

#eastereggs #chocolate #UniversalStudios #fblifestyle #bedford

To celebrate the long weekend, we’re giving you 𝟱𝟬% 𝗢𝗙𝗙 all Essential Listings — whether you run a hotel, a cosy bed & breakfast, or a private letting.

Just use code 𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝟱𝟬 at checkout and you’re good to go 🙌

It’s a great chance to get your property in front of more people exploring Bedford or working at the Universal Studios UK construction site and the surrounding area — especially with a busy season ahead.

Don’t miss it… this offer won’t hang around forever 🐰

https://projectbedford.uk/accommodation/

#Bedford #Hotels #BedAndBreakfast #FBLifestyle #StayInBedford #UKTravel #Hospitality #EasterWeekend #BankHoliday #SupportLocal

the hedges have been cleared out, and it’s changed the feel of Manor Road. What used to be quite closed off now suddenly opens everything up — you can actually see into the site properly for the first time.

#bedford #UniversalStudios #uk #fblifestyle