UK government to pay £1.3bn to help fund Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire

Chancellor hails deal saying it will create tens of thousands of jobs in the construction, hospitality, creative and technology sectors

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British taxpayers will provide £1.3bn in funding to help Hollywood studio giant Universal build its first theme park in Europe.

Comcast, the US media company that owns NBC Universal and Sky, had been considering a number of countries in which to build its first European theme park.