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This article was written in 2021
Three British firms, Electrosonic, Garmendale and Katapult, have today been unveiled as the first businesses to be chosen by The London Resort to help create the UK’s first, next generation theme park.
65 other businesses, over half of which are British, have been advised that they are in the running to work on what is billed as one of the most ambitious leisure projects to be undertaken in the UK and Europe. It is the first and crucial phase of a business registration process that began over a month ago, when nearly 2000 businesses registered their interest in being part of this unique project. The initial businesses being contacted could all have an important role to play in moving the London Resort from conceptual design to concept refinement and schematic design.
Making the announcement at Blooloop V-Expo, PY Gerbeau, CEO of London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), was keen to stress the door is still well and truly open for more businesses to register.
“It is a day to celebrate British innovation and technological wizardry,” commented PY. “Electrosonic, Katapult and Garmendale are all leaders in their fields and together we are on a journey to create our own slice of history by building the UK’s first next generation theme park. But turning our vision into reality will be complicated. We will be the first theme park across Europe, to be built from scratch in nearly 30 years. We will be one of the only operationally carbon neutral parks in the world. And with our investment in sustainability and the environment, we will be beacon of what can be achieved when the environment, commerce and entertainment flourish together, hand in hand. To make that vision a reality, we will only work with the best of the best that industry has to offer and today marks the first day of that exciting journey ahead.”
The formal registration process began over a month ago when The London Resort called for businesses to register their interest in becoming a supplier. Nearly 2,000 businesses have registered so far, 30% of which are local, based in Kent and Essex. 90% are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), putting it on track to exceed the Government’s target that £1 in every £3 is spent with SMEs.
PY was keen to stress that the door is still open to businesses wanting to register their interests. “To all the naysayers and doom-mongers, the London Resort is going ahead, as planned,” he continued. “To all businesses who believe they can play a part in creating a world of unique experiences, I encourage you to go to our website now, register your details and together we will create our footnote in history.” The three businesses unveiled at blooloop’s V-Expo 2021 are all firms well known and highly respected in their fields. International themed attraction designers, Katapult, was established in 2001 and started with a business loan from The Princes Trust. Based in Derby City Centre, the team is headed by Dawn Foote, Co-Founder & CEO, and Philip Higgins, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. Katapult works with the likes of The LEGO® Group, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros and BBC. Their work is enjoyed by 50 million visitors, at over 81 attractions, in 20 different countries. Commenting on the announcement, Co-Founder and CEO of Katapult, Dawn Foote, said:
“We are incredibly excited to be working with The London Resort team on this iconic project here in the UK. As experienced themed attraction designers, we understand what it takes to create immersive experiences that wow and inspire visitors. We’re looking forward to working with PY and the team to do just that, and create a next generation theme park our country will enjoy and be proud of.”
For more Information please contact: Daniel Cohen on +44 7730 711923 or daniel@teamsentient.com
The London Resort is one of the most ambitious projects in Europe. It is also aiming to be one of the most sustainable, global destinations in the world. It plans to be the first operationally carbon neutral theme park, will deliver a net biodiversity gain and will create a green network of amenity areas and parkland to include areas of environmental enhancement and wildlife habitat creation beside the River Thames for local residents and Resort guests.
It submitted its planning application on the 31st December. Comprising over 25,000 pages of reports, assessments and analysis, the Development Consent Order (DCO) detailed how this largely brownfield former industrial site, will be transformed into one of the most exciting destinations in the world.
Projected to be one of the largest, single site employers in the UK, the London Resort is expected to make a significant contribution to the UK economy.
Independent research, contained within the application, forecasts a number of benefits: £50bn of gross economic activity (GVA) generated in the UK over the initial 25- year period; Over 6,000 construction jobs created; 48,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs created by 2038 including: 8,700 employees by 2024 rising to over 17,000 by 2038, directly employed by the Resort Up to £200m in additional tax revenues, directly created by 2038.
