Olympics
The UK’s hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel industry could stand to generate £2bn from visitors around the 2012 Olympic Games. But much still needs to be done to make sure the sector achieves its potential during the games and benefits from the Olympics legacy afterwards. In this section, you can read all about the latest Olympics-related hospitality developments.
London 2012 Olympics: Hotel prices during the Games continue to rise
Hotel prices during the Olympics period later this Summer are continuing to rise with the cost of rooms in the capital up 65 per cent on average on last years prices although occupancy levels still have room to grow, according to the latest study from hotel research company TravelClick.
London 2012: Hospitality businesses urged to improve customer service with 100 days to go
As the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics reaches the last 100 days hospitality businesses are being urged by VisitBritain and People 1st to 'warm up their welcome' and improve customer service to make the most of the Games.
Heston Blumenthal among hospitality industry figures named Olympic Torchbearers
Heston Blumenthal, Tom Aikens and Angela Burns, deputy chair of Best Western hotels, have all been named as Olympic Torchbearers for the relay of the torch containing the Olympic Flame as the hospitality industry continues to discuss London 2012 with less than 120 days to go.
Temporary Event Notices: Hospitality lawyers advise licensees to apply before law change and Olympics
Hospitality licensees considering applying for future Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for events including those during the London 2012 Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations have been advised to apply now before the system becomes more restrictive after 6 April.
London 2012: Restaurants and bars urged by TfL to target Olympics commuters
Restaurants and bars are being encouraged to team up with Transport for London (TfL) to promote offers and deals for workers travelling during the Olympics in order to ease the after work commute during London 2012.
London hoteliers divided over impact of 2012 Olympics
Less than a third (29.8 per cent) of London hotel managers believe the 2012 Olympics will influence the growth of their business this year.
Gresham Inns reports 90 per cent of London rooms pre-sold for Olympics
London pub operator Gresham Inns has reported that 90 per cent of its rooms in the capital have already been sold for the period of the 2012 Olympics.
London Olympics: Hotel rooms released but lessons learnt from Royal Wedding
In January the announcement the London 2012 organising committee (LOCOG) was releasing rooms sparked fears hotels might not be as full as hoped, so a week later BigHospitality spoke to those in the industry to see if hotels were reassessing expectations and how they were preparing for the Olympics.
Arena to hold London 2012 Olympics lecture
Jan Matthews, head of catering, cleaning and waste services for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), is set to present the Arena Savoy Lecture on 20 March.
London 2012: Help available but businesses need to help themselves, says TfL
The director of London 2012 games transport at Transport for London, Mark Evers, has told BigHospitality transport help and advice is available for restaurants, hotels and bars and pubs but hospitality businesses also need to help themselves.
Olympics organising committee releases more than 120,000 hotel rooms for resale
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has released around 20 per cent of the hotel reservations it had made for the Games, meaning more than 120,000 hotel room nights in the capital will now be vacant during the event.
London 2012 Olympics: Six months left and businesses not prepared, says People 1st survey
With six months to go until the London 2012 Olympics begin, the majority of businesses have not prepared themselves for the Games, according to a survey by hospitality skills council People 1st.
London 2012 Olympics: Mixed views over impact on hotel sector
With fewer than 200 days until the London 2012 Olympics, the UK is preparing for an influx of visitors from around the world. But just how much of an impact will the Games have on the nation’s hotels?
Could the Olympics hold the key to a prosperous 2012 for restaurants?
With a bumper year packed full of iconic, once-in-a-lifetime events including the London 2012 Olympics, the London 2012 Festival and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the UK restaurant industry will be hoping to capitalise. But just how big an impact will these events have, and will they actually lead to an increase in profits?
VisitBritain calls on hospitality businesses to ‘Share Your GREAT Britain’
Hospitality businesses are being urged to make use of a free online toolkit from VisitBritain that allows users to participate in, and benefit from the ‘GREAT Britain – You’re Invited’ 2012 campaign.
2012 Olympics: Hospitality businesses urged to plan ahead with new TfL travel hotspot information
Hospitality businesses are being warned to plan ahead for the huge logistical challenge posed by the 2012 Olympics, following the release of detailed hotspot information from Transport for London (TfL).
Businesses warned off “unscrupulous” corporate hospitality suppliers
‘Unscrupulous’ corporate hospitality suppliers are seeking to cash in the UK’s ‘Golden Decade of Sport’ by mis-selling packages to unsuspecting businesses, a corporate hospitality company has warned.
Olympics already having a positive impact on UK tourism
The 2012 Olympics are already having a positive impact on UK tourism, with seven Olympic cities and towns in the top 20 most-stayed-in destinations for 2010, according to new research from VisitBritain.
Olympics doesn’t mean full rooms, warns hotelier
London hoteliers are being warned that next year’s Olympics may not have the positive financial repercussions many predict and that the event may in fact lead to a drop in occupancy figures.
VisitBritain receives major funding boost ahead of bumper 2012
With the year ahead packed full of iconic, once-in-a-lifetime events including the London 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, VisitBritain has received a welcome injection of £27m funding to help promote the UK.
UK hospitality industry ‘won’t be ready’ for 2012 Olympics
The majority of consumers believe the UK hospitality industry ‘won’t be ready’ to welcome visitors for the London 2012 Olympics.
London hoteliers shrugging off recession after another bumper summer
London hoteliers have so far successfully ridden out the economic storm, while rates in the provinces have remained ‘stubbornly flat’, according to the latest PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) report.
Hotel prices could rise by up to 50% for Olympics, report shows
A new report has revealed that major sporting events in the first half of this year led to average hotel price increases of nearly 30 per cent, lending weight to predictions that even larger price hikes are due for next year’s Olympics.
Boris Johnson urges businesses to 'get online' for London Olympics
Boris Johnson has called on London’s small and medium-sized businesses to take advantage of the latest wireless technology during next year’s Olympic Games.
London Olympics preparations on track for hospitality businesses
Most hospitality, travel and leisure businesses believe they are on track with their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games, although half claim staff availability for the event is a major challenge.
Cost of London riots to business and Olympics tourism “unquantifiable”
It is too early to anticipate what the long-term cost rioting and looting around the UK will be to the hospitality industry and the 2012 London Olympic Games, but experts believe the overall cost to the British high street will reach tens of millions of pounds.
Planning for the 2012 Olympics: Staff and training
As McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc once said ‘You’re only as good as the people you hire’ so if you believe his mantra and want to make sure your business is a winner during next year’s Olympic Games, make sure you read our fourth and final instalment of our feature series which looks at the best ways of training, motivating and getting the best out of your workforce.
4m Brits plan holidays to avoid Olympic Games
Just over half of Brits feel that the Olympic Games will have a positive impact on the country’s economy, while almost 4m people will be leaving the country to avoid the 2012 Games, finds a new survey by PwC.
How ready is the UK for Olympics hospitality?
With exactly one year to go until the London Olympics, the UK is sending out a call to the world to come to these shores next year, but initial figures suggest that the hospitality sector is far from ready to welcome the additional visitors.
Most Britons without Olympics tickets to watch events at the pub
The majority of Britons without tickets to live Olympic events next summer will choose to watch the Games in a pub.
Planning for the 2012 Olympics: Transport and deliveries
Hospitality businesses will be amongst the most affected by the transport and logistics changes during the Olympics next year. This article includes a simple break-down of what you should be thinking about to ensure business continuity, together with links to key information to keep your business running.
Restaurants and pubs sign up to Olympics fair pricing charter
Restaurants, pubs and other consumer-facing businesses in London have signed up to the Mayor’s new London Visitor Charter, which commits them to offering fair pricing for visitors during the Olympic Games.
Planning for the 2012 Olympics: Marketing
Once you’ve made yourself aware of what’s happening during the 2012 London Olympic Games (by reading our first feature in this series) you need to decide how you’re going to use the event to boost your business’s profile.
HMRC webinar to help businesses make Olympics bids
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be holding an online seminar to provide businesses with key tips on how to win Olympics contracts.
London 2012 and TfL help businesses set Olympics transport plans
London 2012 and Transport for London (TfL) will be providing free tools and workshops to help businesses minimise transport disruptions to their operations during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
WorldHost training programme gains LOCOG seal of approval
LOCOG has awarded People 1st’s WorldHost customer service training programme the London 2012 Inspire mark in recognition of the legacy benefits it will bring to UK skills and employment.
Planning for the 2012 Olympics
With just over a year to go before the Olympic Games come to London, it's time to start planning your involvement if you want to make next summer's big event profitable for your business.
IHG completes structure for new Olympic route hotels
Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) says it is on track to open its new Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites London Stratford City in time for the Olympic Games.
Olympic sponsor P&G helps hospitality operators prepare first impression
Cleaning product supplier Procter & Gamble, which has been named a sponsor of the Olympic Games, will be launching a series of pop-up pods to help the hospitality sector deliver a positive first impression to the influx of visitors expected during the Games.
UK hotel performance: the past, present and future
Delegates at the inaugural Boutique Hotel Summit this week were told to watch their pricing structure for the 2012 London Olympic Games to avoid pricing themselves out of the market.
Learn from Royal Wedding and avoid Olympics price hiking, hoteliers warned
London hoteliers, particularly those in the luxury sector, are being warned to learn from the disappointment of the Royal Wedding trade and avoid ‘pricing themselves out of the market’ for the 2012 Olympic Games.
South Bank restaurants and pubs to benefit from ‘accessibility makeover’
London’s South Bank will undergo a £4m makeover to make it more easily accessible to visitors in time for the Olympics, with the works due to benefit the area’s restaurants, cafes and bars.
BBPA requests opening hours extension for Olympics and Jubilee
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has lobbied Prime Minister David Cameron to extend pub opening hours for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Games next year, following a record trading period during the Royal Wedding bank holiday weekend.
London hotel bookings double for Champions League final
London hotel occupancy has almost doubled for the night of the UEFA Champions League in May, according to data from hotel analysts Rubicon.
BHA backs hoteliers after criticism of Olympics profiteering
The British Hospitality Association (BHA) yesterday refuted claims that the country’s hotels are profiteering by charging higher room rates during the Olympic Games.
Olympic pubs and restaurants need ‘outside licence’
Pubs and restaurants near any Olympic venue will have to apply for an additional licence if they want to trade outside their premises during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Ask the Experts: Preparing for the 2012 Games Part II
In the second part of this series on how the hospitality sector can prepare for the 2012 Games, Vince Fihosy, Director of London 2012 City Operations, tells BigHospitality readers about transport changes, engaging staff and preparing for special events.
Ask the Experts: Preparing for the 2012 Games Part I
The eyes of the world will be on the capital as London hosts global events in 2012 and in the run-up to the 2012 Games. Vince Fihosy, Director of London 2012 City Operations, tells BigHospitality readers how the hospitality sector should prepare for the opportunity ahead.
Be wary of Olympics ‘displacement effect’, warns Minister
The Minister of Tourism John Penrose has warned the hospitality sector to be wary of a ‘displacement effect’ that could be caused by the Olympics, saying it is crucial to treat the event as the hors d’oeuvre rather than the main course if the UK is to see any long-term benefit.
London experiencing luxury hotel boom
London is experiencing a luxury hotel boom ahead of the Olympics, new research suggests.
VisitBritain forced to withdraw marketing from 14 countries
VisitBritain is withdrawing its marketing campaign from 14 countries and cutting 70 jobs in reaction to the Government spending cuts in October last year.
Olympics: start dialogue over longer hours now
Pub operators should push for talks to start with licensing authorities over extended opening hours for the Olympics, licensing solicitors have advised.
Olympics are another Christmas, says Novus
Tiger Tiger operator Novus Leisure believes the London Olympics can be “another Christmas” and has targeted an extra £20m worth of sales over a six week period — translating to around a £7.5m profit boost.
Leicester Square Premier Inn to open by 2012
A new Premier Inn is to be opened in Leicester Square, after planning permission was granted to convert an office space back to its original use as a hotel.
Businesses urged to enter 2012 events into London diary
Hospitality operators planning special events for the London Olympic Games next year are being urged to enter their events into a Culture Diary set up by the city to ensure better planning and communication of all activities.
Heineken UK signs Olympic sponsorship
Heineken UK has been appointed as the Official Lager Supplier and sponsor of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games 2012 in a tier three sponsorship deal.
Zara co-founder to open London Bulgari hotel
The co-founder of the Spanish fashion empire that owns Zara is in final-stage talks to invest £350m in a “super-luxury” London hotel bearing the Bulgari name.
Hoteliers launch campaign for hospitality VAT of 5%
The head of budget hotel group Travelodge is leading a campaign to reduce VAT for the hospitality sector to 5 per cent ahead of the London Olympics.
Risks to UK tourism threaten Olympics legacy, warns BHA
The UK tourism and hospitality sectors stand to lose out on the full benefits of the Olympic Games if the country does not address a number of major obstacles it faces, the chief executive of the British Hospitality Association told industry leaders yesterday.
Extended opening hours for London Olympics
London’s Westminster Council is to grant more late licences to bars and restaurants in the capital in a three-month window surrounding the 2012 Olympic Games.
BHA’s Ufi Ibrahim discusses industry concerns
The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has been representing the industry for over 100 years, championing our priorities through partnerships with government and other organisations.
Cater for disabled customers or lose out on Olympics revenue
Hospitality businesses that don’t cater for disabled customers are setting themselves up to lose out on potential revenue during the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.
New Holiday Inn and Staybridge to open on Olympic route
Two new hotels – a Holiday Inn and a Staybridge Suites – are to be built at Westfield Stratford City to cater for the Olympic traffic expected next year.
Key speaker confirmed for Olympics industry event
The Mayor of London’s key man for the 2012 Olympic Games is to speak at a forthcoming event for the hospitality industry hosted by M&C Report and BigHospitality.
Olympics customer service training programme gathers support
UK sporting venues such as Twickenham Stadium and Royal Ascot have signed up for a customer service programme introduced last year by People 1st to train hospitality staff ahead of the Olympics.
Tourism marketing campaign to create 50,000 jobs
A new four-year £100m marketing campaign devised by VisitBritain is estimated to create 50,000 tourism jobs and boost visitor spending in the UK by £2bn.
How to prepare for 2012 London Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics are just 18 months away, yet many hospitality operators are still unsure of what they should be doing to prepare for the event.
Orchid invests £3.6m to install Sky+HD across estate
The Orchid Group is rolling out Sky+HD across its 300-strong pub and restaurant estate, as part of a £3.6m annual investment.
Hospitality: getting in shape for London 2012
The 2012 Olympic Games will descend on London in just over 18 months.
Government urged to rethink London tourism cuts
The tourism industry and the British Hospitality Association (BHA) have written to London Mayor, Boris Johnson, the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, urging them to consider the risks of funding cuts to London’s tourist industry ahead of the Olympic Games.
Customer service training project to reach 200,000 by Olympics
People 1st has launched a new campaign to train 200,000 hospitality and tourism staff in time for the 2012 Olympics
Giraffe to take empire to 50 restaurants by Olympic Games
Fast-casual restaurant chain Giraffe has announced it is to expand by at least a further 10 restaurants next year, bringing the group up to 50 UK sites
Food group expands at ExCel London as Olympics approach
The food and drink firm Creativevents has added a new ‘healthy’ café to its catering facilities at the ExCel London convention centre, as part of its investment strategy leading up to the Olympic Games
Extortionate Olympics hotel prices could damage sector in long-term
Hotels are set to more than double their prices during the 2012 Olympic Games, but doing so could cause long-term damage to corporate business an expert has claimed
VisitBritain reviews operations to optimise Olympics tourism plan
Following the £80bn worth of spending cuts announced by the Government today, national tourism agency VisitBritain will need to review its operations if its Olympic tourism strategy is to remain on track
BHA hits back at 2012 Olympics detractors
The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has hit back at detractors of the 2012 London Olympics, saying that the Games will provide an immediate benefit and “leave a long-lasting legacy” to the hospitality industry
London Olympics to hit UK hotel recovery
The 2012 Olympic Games could harm the strength of the UK hotel recovery, especially in host city London, according to new research
Travelodge goes for gold at 2012 Olympic Games
As Travelodge celebrates the opening of its 400th hotel in London Waterloo, newly appointed chief executive Guy Parsons explains how he will achieve the group's aim of becoming the largest hotel operator in London by the 2012 London Olympic Games
London Olympics to double hotel revPAR
London hoteliers should expect a successful trading period when the 2012 Olympic Games reaches the UK, after hotels in Vancouver saw more than a 100 per cent increase in revPAR during the Winter Olympics this year
VisitBritain launches 2012 Olympics advice website for hospitality
VisitBritain is launching a new website for hospitality and tourism businesses looking to benefit from the London 2012 Olympic Games
Whitbread secures Olympic Stadium site for Premier Inn
Whitbread has secured a site next to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, East London, where it will build a 267-bedroom Premier Inn to open in time for the games in 2012
New group to maximise benefits of 2012 Olympics for hospitality industry
A joint working group has been set up by some of Britain's biggest tourism and accommodation groups to help ensure hospitality businesses make the most of the 2012 Olympic games