BUSSINESSES SCEPTICAL OVER OLYMPIC GAMES

WHEN London was announced as host for the Olympic Games in 2012, Liverpool celebrated as much as any other city in the land.

But with the initial celebrations now over, the city’s private sector is decidedly less enthusiastic about the capital’s victory.

A survey of business leaders in Liverpool reveals that most see the arrival of the Olympic Games in the UK as bad news for the city.

Of the 2,000 men and women polled by private sector think tank Downtown Liverpool In Business, 61 per cent believe that London 2012 will have a detrimental effect on the city.

“While everyone enjoyed seeing London win, that joy has been short-lived in Liverpool,” said DLIB chairman Frank McKenna.

“In its place, there is now a belief that between now and 2012, London will benefit at the expense of provincial cities like ours where regeneration is equally, if not even more, desperately needed.”

Since the announcement in July, the capital has already seen house prices rise, unemployment is expected to fall while schemes are in place to improve and increase services in the area.

In Liverpool, meanwhile, plans to develop the Merseytram appear doomed and the appetite outside the region for a second crossing over the River Mersey also seems to have disappeared.

“The level of investment into parts of London between now and 2012 is estimated to be around £8billion,” added Mr McKenna.

“Yet in Liverpool, we are having to fight for every penny for vital regeneration schemes such as the Merseytram.

“Obviously we would like to think that the whole country will benefit from the reflected glory of hosting the Olympics.

“But just three months on, there is already a real groundswell of opinion suggesting that cities like Liverpool will actually suffer as a result rather than gain from the Games.”

Note to Editors

For more information or to interview Frank McKenna call Chris Marritt at Mason Media on 0151 707 4514 or 07908 214950.

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