A French theme park company behind plans for a £600m historical park in Oxfordshire received assistance from the previous UK government, despite its founding family's connections to the far right and past praise of Vladimir Putin, emails released under freedom of information laws have revealed.
The Conservative peer Dominic Johnson, a business and trade minister under Rishi Sunak, promised to “assist” Puy du Fou in site selection during a meeting in December 2022. A subsequent letter from an unnamed official stated that department staff in France were available to provide further support. The company later described the government as “very supportive”.
Puy du Fou, founded by Philippe de Villiers, has faced criticism over his far-right views, including founding a party that sought to ban mosques and same-sex marriage. His son Nicolas, who now runs the business, appeared to praise Putin after the 2014 Crimea invasion. The company said it passed government due diligence “with ease” and dismissed objections as “conspiracy theory mischief making”.
Local opposition to the park, which includes mock medieval castles and hotels near the M40, centres on traffic, water supply and environmental concerns. In February, the Guardian reported that residents also had misgivings about the De Villiers family. Labour MP Chris Bryant later raised these issues in a meeting with Puy du Fou, after which the company asked for continued government support to be relayed to local councils.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson declined to comment on ministerial contact with councils but expressed support for the investment, stating officials were “reassured” that Puy du Fou no longer had ties to Russia. The company formally submitted a planning application in August.
