Royal Shakespeare Company backs £600m theme park plan

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has backed plans to build a £600m history-based theme park in the Oxfordshire countryside.

French firm Puy du Fou submitted proposals to build the site, north of Bicester, to Cherwell District Council last year.

The RSC described the proposal as an "exciting opportunity to further enhance the UK's cultural and tourism offer".

Puy du Fou has said it aims to open the park in phases, beginning in 2029 and that it would employ about 2,000 people. Its plans have sparked concerns from some locals, who have expressed fears about the impact the site will have on things such as traffic and wildlife.

A new group has also been created to bring together representatives from Heyford Park and surrounding villages to discuss the impact of major schemes planned in the area, including the theme park.

The forum, approved by Oxfordshire County Council, wants to help prevent the area from "descending into traffic gridlock".

But Blenheim Palace, national tourism agency VisitBritain, performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity, and Experience Oxfordshire, are among those who have previously backed the theme park plan.

The Puy du Fou attraction would include four period villages and 13 live shows in which visitors could "immerse themselves in British history".

Developers estimate the attraction could welcome up to 1.4 million visitors a year once fully open.

In a letter seen by the BBC, issued by the RSC's senior leadership team to the council, and confirmed by the organisation as authentic, it said: "We recognise the important role that major cultural and visitor attractions can play in strengthening the regional economy, increasing tourism, creating employment opportunities, and encouraging wider participation in arts, culture, and heritage.

"There is currently no equivalent attraction operating at this scale within the UK, and we can see the potential for the project to attract new visitors to the region, generate economic activity, and contribute to the continued growth of the visitor economy across the Midlands and surrounding areas."

The letter said the RSC was "particularly encouraged by the potential for collaboration across the cultural, tourism, hospitality, and education sectors".

"Major attractions often act as catalysts for wider partnerships, helping organisations work together to create richer visitor experiences and strengthen the overall appeal of a destination," it added.

The RSC concluded that it supported the "ambitions" of the project and the "potential benefits it could bring to the region, its communities, and the wider visitor economy".

Puy du Fou has had history-themed parks in Les Epesses in France since 1978 and in Toledo, Spain, since 2021.