Tom Grennan says he’s “proud” and “buzzing” for Bedford after plans for a Universal Studios theme park were officially announced – and joked he’d even perform at the opening ceremony if it meant free tickets.
Back in his hometown for a Popchips fan meet-and-greet at the Tesco store on Cardington Road, the singer-songwriter spoke about the excitement sweeping through Bedford since Universal confirmed it plans to build its first European resort just south of the town.
“It’s gonna change thousands of people’s lives,” said Tom. “It’s bringing opportunity, it’s bringing jobs, it’s bringing tourists. For a massive, massive theme park like Universal to be coming to Bedford, it’s huge.”
He admitted that even with a year of rumours, it had sometimes felt like a “probably won’t happen” project. “But it is happening,” he said, adding how proud he felt when the announcement was finally made.
“I’ll come and sing”
Tom also joked about getting involved personally once the theme park opens.
Asked whether he’d consider performing at a launch event, he laughed: “I’ll definitely come and perform if I can have a couple of rides for free. You never know. Whatever roller coaster they put me on, they might get a tune or two.”
The Bedford-born star said seeing such a major global name invest in his hometown is a massive moment for local pride.
“We’re a small market town, but we’re always punching above our weight,” he said. “It’s cool to see the whole world looking at Bedford now, Bedford’s the land of the brave.”
Meeting the fans
Tom was speaking to the Bedford Independent during a visit organised by Popchips, which recently featured him on its packaging for a special campaign, “I wouldn’t put my face on anything else,” he told us, “Popchips is a brand that I actually do like.”
He surprised fans who thought they were attending a snack-based market research event at Cardington Tesco in Bedford, only to find themselves face-to-face with the singer.
“It’s pretty cool to see the fans,” he said, adding that he loves coming home to Bedford, where his music journey began. “Coming home is always a special thing,” he said.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Bedford
Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of Comcast NBCUniversal, has announced plans to develop a multi-billion-pound theme park and resort on a former brickworks site between Kempston and Stewartby.
The park is expected to create around 20,000 jobs during construction and up to 8,000 permanent jobs once open, with Universal promising strong links to the local economy and workforce.
If given final government approval, construction could begin as early as 2026 and deliver a £50 billion boost to the economy by 2055.
When completed, the site will become the only Universal Studios theme park in Europe and is expected to attract millions of visitors every year.
Read: “We chose Bedford”: Universal Studios exec on why the theme park is coming here
Local leaders and residents have hailed the project as transformative for Bedford Borough, putting the area firmly on the world map.
