Union supports £600m history theme park plan

Puy du Fou currently has two history-themed parks in Europe

Plans to build a £600m history-based theme park in the Oxfordshire countryside would provide "sustainable, high-quality employment", a union has said.

Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, has written to Cherwell District Council to share its support for Puy Du Fou's plan for the site near Bicester.

The French company submitted its proposals, which include four period villages and three hotels based on different periods of British history, to the council in September.

Iain Croker, from Equity, said it was an "exciting project".

"We look forward to seeing this project deliver on its promise to provide sustainable, high-quality employment in the creative industries," he wrote.

He said the site had the "potential to create thousands of skilled jobs and training opportunities" across industries including performance, design and production.

Mr Croker said he was "particularly encouraged" by what he called Puy du Fou's "strong international record" of recognising and working with trade unions.

He said Equity "looks forward to engaging positively" with the company to "ensure that these same high standards are embedded from the outset in their UK operations".

Equity currently represents more than 50,000 performers and creative workers across the UK.

The £600m attraction would be built near Bicester

Puy Du Fou previously said it aimed to open the attraction in 2029, and that it would eventually employ about 2,000 people.

It has also claimed the attraction would support a further 6,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants, suppliers, and other local businesses, delivering a "£500m a year boost to the local and regional economy".

The company estimates 1.47 million people would visit every year once the attraction was completed.

It already has history-themed parks in Les Epesses in France and in Toledo, Spain, which showcase events depicting the Roman Empire and figures like Joan of Arc.