London 2012 – There’s gold in them there malls

London 2012 – There’s gold in them there malls
Posted on Wednesday January, 20 2010 | 2 Comments

Forget about 2009 – now we’re in 2010 and it’s all about getting ready for 2012. Are retailers ready for the Olympics? Here are some stats:

  • 270,000 staff will be employed at 35 venues throughout the UK
  • There will be an Olympic broadcast audience of over 5 billion
  • The UK will be visited by around 20,000 press and media personnel
  • 9 millions tickets will go on sale for the Olympic events

Staggeringly the typical sales uplift during the Olympics is around 60%. For retailers, the opportunities are unparalleled, however to fully reap the benefits of this event, planning, for those not already off the line, needs to start now.

Thinking location? With East London starting to buzz with construction, the Westfield Stratford City is standing relatively empty. Current occupants, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis are well positioned, however for such a large retail complex, in the heart of ‘Olympic territory’ to still have room to spare, suggests some retailers are not looking as far ahead as they need to. Given the events of 2009, and the ongoing residual effects, that is somewhat understandable; but with the ‘r word’ fading into history, many retailers have greater freedom to enter into negotiations with retail landlords and physically position themselves for 2012.

For those who remain unclear on how to take advantage of this event, or the full scope of how it may impact retail, Retail Knowledge is running a must-attend event: Opportunities for Retailers from London 2012 is for those who are looking ahead, or who have identified they need to be. Held at the London Marriott, Grosvenor Square on 17 March, 'Opportunities for Retailers' will cover why the Olympics is not about just London, what you can do with the Olympic brand/sponsors/licensed products, which government bodies are there to support retailers and asks are you ready to cope for the disruption during the 100 days over which the event is held. Download the full agenda.

Are you going to let the opportunities of London 2012 pass you by?