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The Olympics Called A 'Complete And Utter Disaster' For London Businesses
Business Insider ^ | 08/03/2012 | Ashley Lutz

Posted on 08/03/2012 10:19:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

London businesses are seeing a drastic drop in sales as natives avoid leaving their homes during the Olympic games.

From restaurants to hotels, everyone's hurting, reports Samantha Conti at Women's Wear Daily.

“The Olympic Games have been a complete and utter disaster. The shops are empty, the bars are empty, the restaurants are empty,” Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said in the Daily Telegraph this week.

He also said that taxi drivers have seen a 20 to 40 percent drop in their income this month.

And WWD profiled a retailer that was disappointed by Olympic traffic:

The New West End Company — which represents businesses on Oxford, Bond and Regent streets — estimated earlier this year that retailers in London’s West End would make 16.6 million pounds, or $26 million at current exchange, in additional revenue as a direct result of the Olympics.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 2012olympics; business; london; olympics
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An unusually quiet Carnaby Street in Soho on July 31, 2012 in London, England.
1 posted on 08/03/2012 10:19:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

They should speak out against homosexual marriage.


2 posted on 08/03/2012 10:22:39 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Siri: Gold Baby, Gold!)
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To: SeekAndFind

STUPID Inbred “Brits” DESERVE what they GOT! How that “Parliment” and “Monarchy” working out for ya!


3 posted on 08/03/2012 10:22:47 AM PDT by US Navy Vet (Go Packers! Go Rockies! Go Boston Bruins! See, I'm "Diverse"!)
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s gotta be Romney’s fault.


4 posted on 08/03/2012 10:23:22 AM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

LOL!!!


5 posted on 08/03/2012 10:24:27 AM PDT by vlad335
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To: SeekAndFind

Neat street. I like it.

What do they do for transportation?


6 posted on 08/03/2012 10:24:41 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's Welfare, Food Stamps, Division and Disability 'Legacy')
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To: SeekAndFind

It was like that in ATL when it came here.

The Chicken Littles had scared all the locals off, for one.

I can remember going to a Irish Pub to see and excellent band that had been hired to play the week for mucho $$$$ and there was no one there. Literally. I thought we had the wrong venue. The owner was tearing his hair out.

People started venturing out a little more than halfway through, IIRC.


7 posted on 08/03/2012 10:26:21 AM PDT by freedomlover
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To: US Navy Vet

>>STUPID Inbred “Brits” DESERVE what they GOT! How that “Parliment” and “Monarchy” working out for ya!<<

This is the kind of crap that just makes my head hurt. If you’re gonna call someone else stupid, you probably should do it in a way that makes you look marginally smart.


8 posted on 08/03/2012 10:27:13 AM PDT by Xenalyte (Settle down, Beavis.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’ve never understood why cities think the Olympics will be a big boon to local businesses. You basically lose all your paying customers while your city is taken over by foreign interlopers. And the city has to spend millions to “get ready” for the event. I’d never want to have them in Houston. We could never do it here anyway, unless every event occurs inside because it’s too hot. Or we’d have to have “Fall Olympics”.


9 posted on 08/03/2012 10:28:05 AM PDT by Sans-Culotte ( Pray for Obama- Psalm 109:8)
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To: US Navy Vet

Oh brother. Really? You think that. UK is pretty successful overall. I guess Atlanta and Salt Lake had the same problems. Olympics is not necessarily a money making venture but a way to celebrate the greatness of the athletes which is what is being done. America is number one again. We should be proud.


10 posted on 08/03/2012 10:30:29 AM PDT by napscoordinator (GO TO CHIC-FIL-A 1 AUGUST FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER (OR ALL))
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To: SeekAndFind

Who would actually want to eat Brit food?


11 posted on 08/03/2012 10:31:17 AM PDT by bigbob
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To: SeekAndFind
He also said that taxi drivers have seen a 20 to 40 percent drop in their income this month.

Well, that's not surprising -- didn't I read a week or so ago that taxis were actually banned from the "Olympic area"?

12 posted on 08/03/2012 10:31:25 AM PDT by workerbee (June 28, 2012 -- 9/11 From Within)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

That comment is timely, informative and very funny. Thank you


13 posted on 08/03/2012 10:32:58 AM PDT by patriotUSA (Thank you Jesus.)
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To: Sans-Culotte
If I traveled to the Olympics I would be seeing every Olympic event I could and grab some food on the run between venues. I'm not there to see the local nightlife or shopping. On the other hand if I was a local who wasn't interested in the Olympics I would either stay in my house to avoid the crazy sports fans or take a couple weeks to get out of town. Neither one is good for local businesses.
14 posted on 08/03/2012 10:35:16 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Recycled Olympic tagline Shut up, Bob Costas. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!)
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To: SeekAndFind

The juice is not worth the squeeze.


15 posted on 08/03/2012 10:36:08 AM PDT by ryan71
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To: Sans-Culotte
I’ve never understood why cities think the Olympics will be a big boon to local businesses. You basically lose all your paying customers while your city is taken over by foreign interlopers.

The places that do well in the Olympics are places that derive most of their money from tourism anyway. Usually with the Winter Olympics as it establishes the location as a vacation destination for the ski set. Summer Olympics are almost a guaranteed money loser. Useful if you want to show off and don't care how much it costs. Kind of like when millionaires buy a Guestroom. There is no way to economically justify it (leasing the jet only when you need it would always be cheaper), it is just something flashy to show that you have money to blow.

I'm so glad Chicago didn't get the Olympics.
16 posted on 08/03/2012 10:36:17 AM PDT by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Doesn’t it normally work out that way?
The idiot local government sells it promising hordes of visitors with pockets full of cash, the local business lose their normal custom, and the taxpayers get stuck with a huge bill.


17 posted on 08/03/2012 10:37:58 AM PDT by Little Ray (AGAINST Obama in the General.)
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To: SeekAndFind

As much as I detest Romney (only slightly less than Obama), apparently the Londoners need to apologize to Romney.

Once their mayor gets unstuck from that wire contraption, that is.


18 posted on 08/03/2012 10:38:17 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (I will never vote for Romney. Ever.)
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To: bigbob

Plenty of curry and hummus places in London if you don’t like Brit food.


19 posted on 08/03/2012 10:38:43 AM PDT by 353FMG
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To: SeekAndFind
I avoid anything with the word 'Olympic" in it and do not watch any of it.

It's a U.N., global politically correct, cabal of crap.

20 posted on 08/03/2012 10:40:19 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion or tools of deceit)
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