Olympic Torch leaves economic afterglow in Plymouth
MASSIVE crowds which flocked to the Olympic torch relay set tills jingling across Plymouth.
Businesses revealed how the event created a massive boom.
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55,000 people on Plymouth Hoe for the Olympic Torch. Picture courtsey of Samsung - a presenting partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay
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One Barbican restaurant had its "best day ever", thanks to the Olympic Torch relay.
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The estimated 55,000 people who flocked to Plymouth to see the Olympic flame brought a bonanza for city businesses.
"It was amazing," Ed Steven of the Glassblowing House restaurant on the Barbican in Plymouth said.
"Saturday was our busiest day ever. It had a massive impact on us. The Barbican was heaving, all along Southside Street. People were queuing for fish and chips from Platters across the road and all the way down to the Navy Inn."
John Allen, manager of the Navy, said: "We had a very successful day. There were a lot more people around than normal."
He said the event created a carnival atmosphere.
City hotels and guesthouses also had a bumper weekend because of the Olympic flame and the Superstock powerboat racing on the Sound.
Roy Martin, owner of the Invicta Hotel and chairman of the Plymouth Hospitality Association, said: "We were very full. I would say the accommodation sector did very well. I was talking to some of our 53 members and they were certainly full. Occupancy percentage rates were probably in the high 90s."
Tim Jones, chairman of Team Devon, estimated that the torch relay would have brought a direct benefit of £10million to £15million for the whole of the county. On top of that there would be an important feel-good factor.
"There has been so much appalling news, like the Greek economy, that people have latched on to the fact that there is some good news at last. The feel-good factor is enormous and the imagination has been captured. It has been beyond our wildest dreams."
And he said that having the torch start its journey in the South West meant there would be valuable national and international television coverage before interest began to wane.
David Parlby, chief executive of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, said: "The very good turnout must translate into additional revenue for the city so that has to be a good thing."
There were also huge crowds in Saltash giving the flame an enthusiastic send-off as it left Cornwall. Cllr Hilary Frank, Saltash Town Council's main organiser for an event-filled day, said: "Saltash has never seen anything like it before. So much optimism has been generated and I hope we can build on that. I am hoping there will have been a big economic impact, with visitors coming from far afield."
She said police estimated that 10,000 people lined Fore Street in Saltash.
Nick Taylor, owner of Saltash Sports, who took part in the Passport to Sport events to get young people trying their skills at a variety of games. He said his own takings suffered as a result but he hoped there would be a long-term benefit.
For some runners the economic benefits appeared to be more immediate. Sky News reported yesterday that one torch had already sold on eBay for £153,100.
After leaving Plymouth the torch travelled 88 miles through Devon to Exeter, where it stayed on Sunday night before heading to Somerset yesterday.
Comments
by crazypenguin
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 10:34PM
“There is nothing wrong with Capitalism however there is a dark side to the system as with any system, greed is a major part of it, there is nothing wrong with capitalism there is something wrong however with stamping down on one little old lady trying to knit something to sell for charity because it happens to say Olympics 2012 on it, you can be a capitalist and still have a moral conscience.
so go on then tell me when did I say capitalism is wrong? thats kind of important because your whole argument hinges on something I never actually said......putting words in my mouth I believe!”
by b_mused
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 10:05PM
“crazypenguin - Are you the same ridiculous penguin that used to terrorise Gotham City all those years ago?”
by Peter20113
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 10:01PM
“Crikey I meant point”
by Peter20113
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 10:00PM
“@crazypenguin
.. and what is your potn?
That capitalism is wrong.
We can all argue that fact but it means you'll not starve and probably live til your 80.
and you can speak your mind
95% of the world population would like that”
by crazypenguin
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 9:42PM
“Peter20113 its called common sense mate and these companies need to start using it if they wish to prevent such bad pr(and it is bad pr for them....coca cola picking on pensioner knitting isnt a good angle lol), shes hardly challenging them for international marketing rights is she shes doing a bit of knitting for a charity for gods sake!
Its pure and simple greed and thats sadly is the 2012 spirit all over it really is the corporate elitist games as only the fatcat run city of london could do!”
by Peter20113
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 9:14PM
“@crazypenguin
well I suppose use the coca cola bottle, the BP sign etc if you want and see how far it gets you.
If you invented a world class product and someone knicked it from you how would you feel?”
by crazypenguin
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 8:39PM
“http://tinyurl.com/bqde5gy
saw this today, apparently even charity knitting is banned if it has an olympic logo on it.....because of course that totally affects the profits of coca cola etc doesnt it? complety ******* souless these parasites running the games, they dont give a **** about anything but making a profit out of it.....and this is one very good reason i dont support the thing.”
by crazypenguin
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 8:24PM
“newplymouth what an earth made you think what you were doing counted as `arguing` with me anyway?, all you were doing was moaning at me and others for apparently being `negative` before the torch parade trying to tell us to stop posting...... then doing the `haha the negative people were wrong` thing completely missing the point and continuing the delluded battle only you in your own mind were taking part in and then posting some random fact about china you could have gotten from anywhere not even relevant to the topic to try and `prove` the olympics will be a success......your bizarre you really are lol”
by newplymouth
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 8:17PM
“One of my mentors once told me that one could have an argument in two places -one was the drawing room the other the gutter!
I have no wish to continue the argument with the penguin -I was only seeking to advance an argument that the Olympics were of great international interest hence Plymouth was lucky to have the chance to showcase itself as it did wonderfully.
In a slightly more crude vein the international advertisers have put their Ad Bucks where their mouths are, and a lot of that has go into online advertising round the Games[including it seems China]; it would seem based on credible reports in specialist media”
by crazypenguin
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 7:58PM
“im sure I could dig up old comments of yours that you were wrong in rick however,......im not that petty or that obsessive :P”