London 2012
Map of the Olympic Torch Relay
How the Olympics might affect your business
Ways to reduce the risk of unauthorised absence during the games
‘Country Houses’, Live Sites and Team Bases. How to take advantage of these Olympics ‘sideshows’
With less than one year to go before the London Olympics many operators, particularly those in London, are concerned that far from boosting trade, the Olympics will have a detrimental effect on their businesses. Those concerns stem from worries that existing customers will either leave town to avoid the crowds and congestion or be put off visiting their favourite bars and restaurants due to transport concerns.
However, many operators will be able to take advantage of activities happening away from the main Olympic venues. For those operators lucky enough to be near a ‘Country House’, a Live Site or a Team Base, and innovative enough to be able to cash in on the increased footfall and the attention the Games attract, the rewards could be substantial.
‘Country Houses’
A Country House is a venue set up by competing countries to host its athletes and their sponsors and partners, officials and VIP guests. Presently, 30 or so countries are likely to set up these camps in London, but more may yet be announced. Most Country Houses will open before the Games on the 20th July 2012 and will close in tandem with the Closing Ceremony on 12th August 2012. Some Country House locations will be exclusive to guests and sponsors, whilst others will be open to the public, with a variety of events and culture activities on offer for those they accommodate.
* This data is representative of a large number of the competing nations however it may not include every nation’s data and the table is reflective of agreements and announcements made as of 16 January 2012.
Somerset House will become ‘Casa Brasil’, the official Country House of Brazil, which will be hosting the 2016 Games in Rio. The Holland Heineken House will be hosted by Alexandra Palace. The landmark building, located in North London will be transformed into a giant beer hall open to the public and will act as a hospitality centre for athletes, officials and VIP officials.
Jamaica has decided on Finsbury Park as their ‘Jamaican Village’, open until 10pm every evening from 3rd August 2012 until 11th August 2012, with 20,000 tickets available each day. The North London park will be "a week-long celebration of Jamaican culture that showcases the best of the countries [sic] sports, music, arts and craft, fashion, tourism, food and drinks", according to organisers.
Similarly the House of Switzerland, at Glaziers Hall, on the south bank of the Thames, will be one of the few official houses to be fully open to the public. The House will be a mini-village created in and around the Hall using the adjacent Mug House Bar and Southwark Cathedral as a base for Swiss fans. On the other side of the river, Old Billingsgate in Tower Hill, hosting the French Country House, will be more exclusive to athletes, guests and VIPs only. Like the France House, the German House at The Museum of London Docklands is where the German National Olympic Committee and its sponsors will provide VIP hospitality.
Live Sites
Live Sites will be big screen and event spaces in urban centres across the UK and Ireland offering a broad range of UK-wide local content, live news and information, videos, and community events. There are 20 big screens already operating at locations across the UK (used recently during the ‘Open Weekend’ celebrations marking the one year countdown to the Games) and they operate for a minimum of 16 hours per day. The Live Site within The Olympic Park itself has a Licence for the sale and supply of alcohol from 7am to 1am the following day, late night refreshments from 11pm to 1am, and the capacity to hold 14,000 visitors.
Team Bases
Team bases, situated across various locations, are where national teams can prepare and practice before or during the Games and include accommodation for the team’s guests and entourage. Birmingham will host the famous Jamaican track and field team and has a provisional agreement with the USA team as well. The Chinese Athletics team will be based in Leeds. Loughborough and its University have agreed to host the Japanese team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team.
* This data is representative of a large number of the competing nations however it does not include every nation’s data and the table is reflective of agreements and announcements made as of 10 January 2012. See: Pre-Games Training Camps Agreements on www.london2012.com
Licensing implications
Whether or not you are able to take direct advantage of these Olympic ‘sideshows’, the Games offer a plethora of opportunities to innovative operators. However, care should be exercised when considering how best to take advantage of Olympic events. Themed nights, Olympic parties and cultural events specific to Country Houses may attract the attention of local Police or Licensing Authorities.
In order to maximise the opportunities available to you as operators, the starting point should be an examination of your Premises Licence. Check that you are covered for all licensable activities, for instance late night refreshment if you intend to serve hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am
Make sure that you are familiar with your hours of operation and the hours you can carry out licensable activities. Remember a breakfast party you are thinking of organising may fall beyond the hours permitted on your Licence. Consider whether or not you will need to apply for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) and with so many events happening in 2012 outside the Olympics, bear in mind the number of TENs available to you.
If you are planning many different events across the year, with regular trading beyond your permitted hours, consider making an application for a full (or minor) variation. Bearing in mind the undoubted pressure that will be felt by Licensing Authorities during 2012 and in particular during The Olympics, make sure such an application is made as soon as possible.
With so many great events happening in 2012, it needn’t be just those venues adjacent to the Olympic venues that benefit from an upsurge in trade.
Olympic Torch Relay Map
Image provided by Robert Biederman / Shutterstock
