There are only 100 days to go till the start of the London 2012 Olympics. We are really excited and looking forward to the Olympics being showcased in London. The atmosphere should be electric and have no doubt that we will be good hosts.
Things you should know about the London 2012 Olympics:
- A budget of £9.3 billion has been allocated to the Olympics.
- The organisers, Locog state that the Olympics will be delivered on track, on time and just under budget.
- The Olympic stadium in Stratford will be tendered for sale to one of the London football clubs, most likely West Ham United.
- The velodrome is the most impressive stadium built on the Olympic site. A must see for visitors.
- The Aquatics centre has been fitted with a 160 meter long Wave shaped steel roof. This has been described as one of the toughest construction and engineering challenges on the Olympic Park. Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: "The design of the roof is iconic and will be one of the lasting images of the London 2012 Games."
- The 12,000 seater bubble shaped Basketball venue has been designed as a movable venue and used in Brazil for the next Olympics.
- George Osborne recently announced that Sunday trading laws will be lifted during the Olympics to allow 24 hour shopping.
- Tube and Bus drivers have been given pay rises during the Olympics after threatening to strike.
- London is expected to suffer from congestion during the Olympics. Roads will be closed to the public and restricted only to Olympic athletes during the games. Public transport will also be affected by the increased volume of visitors coming to London for the Olympics. Transport for London advise travellers to plan their journeys and aim to travel outside of the peak congestion hours as described on their website. Anyone travelling in London should allow additional time for their journeys.
- The impact on small businesses in London is varied. Some businesses are likely to benefit from the increased number of visitors to the UK, particularly those in catering and other trades that will profit from the number of visitors passing their time in London between events. Others could suffer from increased cost of transport during the Olympic period and difficulty in getting to work. The 24 hour trading law is likely to provide greater benefit to big businesses rather than small. Our advice is to plan ahead in order to prevent any logistical issues. Businesses would be advised to provide a television in the workplace in order to motivate staff.
- Enjoy the Games!!!