The Olympics - The Opportunity Countdown Kicks Off for Businesses in South London

With just over 450 days to London welcoming the world in 2012, business leaders in South London are gathering on 18th May to hear about what the Olympics will mean for business, including business opportunities, legacy projects and transport planning. The event will be held in an Olympic venue – the globally recognised All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon.

With key note speeches from Richard Sumray, Chair of the London 2012 Forum for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Giles Long MBE, Paralympics swimming gold medallist and Ian Ritchie, CEO of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, the event promises to be not only one to get totally up to speed with Olympic plans and the transformation of the All England Club into an Olympic venue but also a great opportunity to network with like minded business leaders. Mandeville and Wenlock, the Olympic mascots will also be making an appearance.

Local business Rainbow Productions will share how it has grown through international tendering opportunities and other businesses will be present to tell their story of how they will benefit from the Olympics.

Also to be unveiled is an Olympic legacy project in the making. The “Wimbledon Way” will provide a walking route for people attending the Olympic tennis tournament, as well as an on-going visitor attraction building on the area’s heritage. The project is part of a 3 year campaign called Wimbledon Going For Gold that aims to put Wimbledon on the map in the run up to, during and beyond the Olympic Games.

Going for Gold is managed by Merton Chamber of Commerce who are also organising the event in partnership with Go South Go, a South London collaborative project for the London Games. Diana Sterck, Chief Executive of Merton Chamber of Commerce said “This event will kick start the countdown to 2012 for businesses in South London. There are so many fantastic projects and ideas in planning stage and this event gives businesses the opportunity to find out what is going on and to get involved in a number of different ways.”

Go South Go Chair, Linda Taylor OBE summed up “We have been working hard since 2004 to make sure South London businesses and residents feel the benefits, and that they also have the chance to contribute to hosting a fantastic Games. In 2012, we will have the Olympic and Paralympics Games, with the Torch Relay coming through South London. With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the year promises to be a great opportunity for businesses in South London”.