Trail of Confusion Leads to ‘Ghost Town’ – Financial Times

Posted on August 6, 2012 by pmkbncscience

The week began with Londoners aboard the capital’s Tube system receiving a warning from the lips of their mayor, Boris Johnson, of “huge pressure on the transport network”. It ended with him rejecting suggestions that what he called his “Hiroshima Tube announcement” was to blame for putting people off coming to London. After Japanese media seized on the mayoral gaffe, Mr Johnson apologised and admitted it was an “ill-judged choice of phrase”.

But the debacle, coming hot on the heels of comments from David Cameron, prime minister, that Londoners should “come back into the capital, come and shop,” exposed the difficulties for politicians and games organisers of managing the world’s biggest sporting occasion in one of the world’s busiest cities. The prime minister’s appeal for fresh London custom followed cries of anguish from West End businesses, who complained that trade was being “destroyed” as traditional tourists stayed away. Retailers, theatre owners, restaurateurs and those running the city’s prime attractions said the Olympics, while boosting business in east London, had created a “ghost-town” effect elsewhere in the city.

Full article:
Trail of Confusion Leads to ‘Ghost Town’ – Financial Times – August 3, 2012
By James Pickford, Roger Blitz, Mark Odell, Helen Warrell and Jennifer Thompson
Link to Financial Times article

Cameron in ‘Come Back to London’ Plea – Financial Times

Posted on August 6, 2012 by pmkbncscience

The prime minister has called on people to “come back into the capital” after the Olympics turned central London into a “ghost town”, deterring regular visitors.

Public transport has coped so far, but faced a further challenge as the athletics stadium opened on Friday, more than doubling the number of spectators travelling to the Olympic Park at Stratford to more than 200,000.

Full article:
Cameron in ‘Come Back to London’ Plea – Financial Times – August 3, 2012
By Hannah Kuchler
Link to Financial Times article

The Capital is Going for Gold with Games Sick Days – London Evening Standard

Posted on June 27, 2012 by pmkbncscience

One in four Londoners — 1.2 million people — is planning to take a sick day from work to watch the Olympics on TV, according to new research. Teenage diving star Tom Daley’s performance tops the list of reasons for an early morning call to the boss, followed by appearances by cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, swimmer Rebecca Adlington and triathlon hopeful Jessica Ennis.

Full article:
The Capital is Going for Gold with Games Sick Days – June 26, 2012
By Maxine Frith
Link to The London Evening Standard article

Olympic Stayers and Leavers – The London Evening

Posted on June 18, 2012 by pmkbncscience

People are set to flood into London during the Olympics. There will be up to a million extra visitors needing to make their way around the capital each day, as well as 14,000 athletes and 7,000 officials. LOCOG and Transport for London have warned people to plan ahead and to avoid travel where possible. Up to five million journeys will be made on the Tube, compared with the usual 3.5 million. The Evening Standard asked a selection of Londoners whether they are staying to enjoy the fun or getting out until the Games are over

Full Article:
This town ain’t big enough for the both of us … Olympic stayers and leavers – The London Evening Standard – June 18, 2012
By Susannah Butter
Link to The London Evening Standard article

Olympic Visitors Balk at Hotel Price Hurdle – The Financial Times

Posted on June 6, 2012 by pmkbncscience

Price rises for hotel rooms during the Olympics are deterring visitors from coming to London, with summer bookings down by as much as 30 per cent for some tour operators, according to travel agents.

Other European cities have been the beneficiaries, with hotel bookings in Paris, Dublin and Barcelona substantially up compared with last year, agents say.

Full article:
Olympic Visitors Balk at Hotel Price Hurdle – The Financial Times – June 4, 2012
By: Roger Blitz
Link to The Financial Times article

At Last I See the Genius of London’s Olympics – The Financial Times

Posted on June 6, 2012 by pmkbncscience

Mea culpa. I had thought that the 2012 Olympics were destined to descend into chaos. I now know that the games will be a triumphant celebration of London’s place as an unrivalled global hub. My first error was to underestimate the guile of the organisers; my second to be naive about the proper measure of success.

The scales fell from my eyes the other day when the London Underground suffered another of its catastrophic breakdowns. Thousands were trapped underground in baking heat. The grand design suddenly came into pin-sharp focus. Some might have thought this latest incident was another reason why sane people should flee the capital before the Olympic hordes arrive. Well, yes. But – and here is the brilliance of Lord Coe and his fellow 2012 panjandrums – that’s the plan.

Full article:
At Last I See the Genius of London’s Olympics – The Financial Times – May 28, 2010
By: Phillip Stevens
Link to The Financial Times article

Business Fears as Whitehall Civil Servants Told to Work at Home – London Evening Standard

Posted on May 21, 2012 by pmkbncscience

Tens of thousands of civil servants will be able to work at home for up to seven weeks during the Olympics — prompting concerns that productivity levels will slump. Business leaders expressed dismay at the new flexible working rules for Whitehall, and there were even suggestions that ministers could make spot-checks on employees at home to prevent them slacking.

Civil servants in 17 government departments have been told they can work from home from 21 July, six days before the Olympics opening ceremony, until 9 September, the day of the Paralympics closing ceremony. Flexible working is designed to ease the pressure on the roads and public transport during the Games, in particular the Tube, which will see a million extra journeys a day, and the 109-mile road network for Olympic vehicles.

Full article:
Business Fears as Whitehall Civil Servants Told to Work at Home – London Evening Standard – May 15, 2012
By Matthew Beard
Link to London Evening Standard article

Athletes and Olympics Chief Call on Londoners to Enjoy the Games of a Lifetime – London Evening Standard

Posted on April 24, 2012 by pmkbncscience

Athletes aiming to make it a golden summer for Britain at the Olympics today called on Londoners to embrace the opportunity of a lifetime. Sebastian Coe urged Londoners to remain in the capital for the Games, saying: “Don’t leave. Stay. Enjoy it, as it won’t come round again.”

Full article:
Athletes and Olympics chief call on Londoners to enjoy the Games of a lifetime – London Evening Standard – April 17, 2012
By Matthew Beard
Link to London Evening Standard article

Will GB Reap ‘Great’ Tourism Rewards?

Posted on February 22, 2012 by pmkbncscience

A multi-million pound international campaign has been launched to entice visitors to the UK. But with the Olympic Games expected to draw the attention of four billion global viewers, is this marketing push money well spent?

Full Article:
London 2012: Will GB reap ‘great’ tourism rewards? – BBC News – Feb. 9, 2012
By Michael Hirst
Link to BBC article

British Cabinet Warns of Possible Internet Outages During Summer Olympics

Posted on February 22, 2012 by pmkbncscience

The British Cabinet Office has warned businesses in England that the country may not be able to fully accommodate a surge in Internet use during the 2012 Olympics in London this summer.

Full Article:
British Cabinet Warns of Possible Internet Outages During Summer Olympics – Mashable – Feb. 7, 2012
By Sam Laird
Link to Mashable article

Preparing Your Business for the Games

Posted on February 22, 2012 by pmkbncscience

Planning information for businesses for the London 2012 Games from the LOCOG

Full Report:
Preparing Your Business for the Games – London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games
Link to Report

Home from Home?

Posted on February 21, 2012 by pmkbncscience

How businesses react to the upheaval could be one of the most visual and impactful examples of how Mega-Events change cultures. For example: in an attempt to counteract overcrowding on public transport, TFL (Transport For London) and the London Mayor will mount a publicity drive in early 2012 hoping to convince up to 80% of Londoners and their employers to work from home during the Games. Could this be the start of something more permanent – a realisation that commuting to work (and office costs etc) can be trimmed significantly with no reduction in work efficiency?
At the same time, estate agents report a sixfold increase in homeowners wanting to rent out their homes to Games participants and officials – often asking up to £10,000 a week in rent, four times higher than normal. London real estate agents Foxtons have even set up a special department (www.foxtons.co.uk/events/olympics/) offering homeowners a hassle-free service for renting their homes – offering money in advance for signing up. Although this may prove premature: in January, over 120,000 hotel rooms were released onto the market, after LOCOG realised they no longer needed them for Olympic officials and media.

Key Questions
- Aligned with house-swapping digital ventures like Airbnb.com, could the house –swap become a model for the urban future in London?
- Could this also be a boom for other European countries – as Brits escape the Olympic crush and embark on extended vacations elsewhere? Will the campaign urging British travel work?

PMK•BNC Science Series

Beyond The Games: How Popular Culture Is Shaped By A Mega-Event

Category Archives: Home from Home?