‘Last man standing’ refuses to leave home for Universal’s new £5bn UK theme park
A man is fighting to remain on a street which has been marked for demolition to make way for the new Universal theme park.
Ritchie Wood has decided to wait until the last minute to move out of his home on Manor Road in Kempston Hardwick in the UK, where 12 homes have been marked for demolition.
The demolitions will make way for the new Universal United Kingdom Resort.
Of the 12 homes on the road, six have been vacated and five have reportedly been sold to Universal under non-disclosure agreements, it is understood.
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Ritchie has rented the cottage for 11 years, and was served an eviction notice in 2026, before taking the case to court, where the landlord was able to obtain a possession notice, leaving Ritchie waiting for bailiffs to turn up.
"I've lived here for 11 years - this is my home and I have a life here," said Ritchie, who lives near to his elderly parents who are around six miles away.
"My parents are in their 80s and they live five minutes down the road. I want to stay close to them but I could end up anywhere," he explained.
He opened up about seeing his neighbours moving away one by on.
"It's been really hard to watch almost everyone move out of this street," he said. "It's heartbreaking."
"I'm at the bottom of the list for housing"
Ritchie opened up about feeling as though he is 'not being taken seriously'.
"If you drive down Manor Road now, you would think it's private land owned by Universal Studios with the amount of traffic," he said. "I get looks from people driving down there, thinking 'who's that?' I feel like an alien, intruding or trespassing."
Ritchie is now facing homelessness. He was served a Section 21 'no fault eviction' notice on 28 April only a few days before the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into effect.
"I sought legal advice to Legal Aid and I was told to sit tight until a court possession order," he said.
"Last week, I went to Bedford Crown Court and the possession order was granted on the 19th of September.
"I've been advised to wait until a bailiff warrant is approved by the court and then I get two weeks' notice before they change the locks.
"And all this time, the council are telling me I'm at the bottom of the list for housing. It's not like I'm being paid to move by Universal."
Ritchie shared his frustration at how he has been treated, saying: "From a legal point of view, Universal haven't done anything wrong because they'll make sure everything is done to the letter.
"But from a moral perspective, their belligerence is unreal. They think we don't matter."
Demolition work has now started ahead of the construction on the 476-acre site, which could become home to some of the tallest rides in Europe.
The park is set to be completed in 2031, and is touted as having several themed sections, including a hotel with 500 rooms, as well as retail and dining.
It has also been praised by the government as it could bring around 20,000 jobs during construction and 8,000 new jobs once the park is open.
The planning application claims it will generate £50 billion for the UK economy.
Universal writes on their website about the project: "Collaboration and community engagement remain at the core of how we work around the world. We are committed to keeping local residents, businesses and stakeholders updated as works progress and will continue working closely with Bedford Borough Council and other partners throughout the delivery of the project.
"As part of the planning process, an Outline Construction Management Plan and detailed Environmental Impact Assessment were submitted and carefully assessed as part of the approval process. These documents set out measures for managing construction-related effects and helping to minimise impacts where possible. Detailed construction management plans will follow for each phase of construction activity, where appropriate."
LADbible has contacted Universal for comment.
Topics: UK News, Universal Pictures, Theme Park
Kit Roberts