Enterprise & Business
London 2012 Olympic Games
Rising to the challenge
The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring
economic, skills, sporting and cultural benefits to the
East of England and to leave a positive lasting legacy within the region.
In early 2006, the GCP contributed to an economic study showing that the Games could bring over £600 million to the East of England.
Potential Benefits for the East of England
The East of England Development Agency has produced a strategy to help the East of England benefit from
the London 2012 Games. The strategy covers activities under business, culture, skills, sport, tourism,
transport and volunteering and can be found below.
Download the
East of England regional business plan for the Games executive summary
Download the full report.
Visit the East of England Skills and Competitiveness Partnership website for more information on skills and a general round up of news and resources relevant to regional skills partners.
Potential Benefits for Greater Cambridge
Each county has set up a working group to look at how best to capitalise on the benefits from the London
2012 Games at a more local level. The group for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is called
‘GOLD’ and includes representatives from the public and private sectors covering sport, health,
community, transport, skills and business. GOLD has produced an action plan detailing planned and potential activities that underpin their agreed vision
“To increase inclusive participation in sport, culture and healthy activity and to maximise the opportunities that will be provided through business and tourism”.
Within GOLD the GCP is championing two key themes; business and tourism.
Opportunities for Business
Compete For is an e-tendering website for London 2012 Games related contracts.
https://www.competefor.com/london2012business/login.jsp
First tier businesses are required to publish on this website the tenders for which they do not have an existing supply chain. It is expected that approx 80% of contracts will be met by existing supply chains, but the remaining 20% will be put on this website.
Businesses can sign up to the CompeteFor website to access and respond to these tenders, however they must first submit information about their business in the form of a pre-qualification questionnaire. If the business meets all the requirements of the pre-qualification questionnaire they can then access tenders and apply via the website. If the business does not meet the requirements of the pre-qualification questionnaire, they are referred to Business Link who support the business in getting the requisite documents in place.
Signing up to the website also allows businesses to search for partners and to attend ‘meet the buyer’ events.
Opportunities for Hi-tech Businesses
Following an event hosted jointly by the GCP, Cambridge Wireless, Cambridge Network and Screen East, a
project called the Wireless Gateway East was set up. This project has bought together technology providers
and content providers, to jointly develop business ideas for the Olympic games. The best six proposals are
now being supported to investigate investment and funding options.
Visit the project website at www.cambridgewireless.co.uk/events/article/?objid=35487.
Download a summary of the six winning projects.
Pre-Games Training Camps
The GCP is working with five training camps across Greater Cambridge area, to coordinate and maximise the
offer to visiting teams. To find out more about the camps and download the first brochure, visit the
PGTC page.
Maximising Tourism
The GCP has created a new Tourism Strategy and Action Plan for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough that takes
full account of opportunities provided by the London 2012 Olympics. The report was launched at the GCP
Annual Conference on 21 June 2007.
Download the Strategy and Action Plan
Who do I contact for more information?
If you’d like more information about the opportunities or impact of the London 2012 Olympics in
Greater Cambridge, contact Martin Garratt at the GCP
Email: martin.garratt@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01223 717310
