London 2012 Olympics: Hotel prices fall as visitor rush fails to materialise - Daily Telegraph
Last month the four-star Radisson New Providence Wharf Hotel, three miles from the Olympic Park, was showing the cheapest rate of £594, for a double or twin room, for the Games period.
But similar rooms are now available during the Olympics for between £210 and £306.
Industry experts hope say the price cuts will attract an increased number of visitors.
It is thought these are more likely to come from the rest of the UK and northern European countries. than the US and Asia, as the short-notice makes it harder for them to plan a holiday in London in time.
Seamus Maccormaic, a senior director with Hotels.com, one of the country’s leading hotel booking sites, said: “We predict that we will now see an increase in the number of domestic visitors to London during the Games period, especially those who have managed to get tickets.
“They will be taking advantage of the fall in room rates to book one or two night stays, allowing them to attend the Games and also spend some time in London.
"Others will just want to be in the capital, perhaps go to the Olympic Park with day tickets and soak up the fantastic atmosphere there will be over the Games period.”
As part of the bid to stage the 2012 Games, Locog had reached agreements with hotels to provide it with more than 40,000 rooms, representing more than 600,000 room nights during the period.
Part of the deal was that the organising committee promised to return any unwanted rooms back to the hotels so they could sell them in time for games.
The rooms, at more than 200 hotels, range from five-star to budget accommodation.
At the same time hoteliers have begun to offer discount rates in an attempt to encourage people put off by what is the high cost of accommodation in London compared to previous years.
Mr Maccormaic added: “A lot of hotels, small, medium and large, have held back until now in the hope of attracting visitors at premium rates. But they are now starting to put rooms onto the market at much lower rates because they found they just could not fill them. That means there are some fantastic bargains to be had at the moment.”
Studies have shown that an estimated 294,000 tourists were likely to visit London from overseas during the Games period, with a further 587,000 day overnight visitors from the rest of the UK.
On top of that it was estimated that around 5.5 million day trippers would descend on London during the two weeks of the Olympics and 12 days of the Paralympic Games.
The Oxford Economics think-tank had forecast that £650 million in tourist spending was likely to be generated during the five year period after the Games.
But there had been fears the high price of hotel rooms would put many thousands of visitors off coming to London during the games.
Martine Ainsworth-Wells, director of marketing communications, London & Partners, the former London Tourist Board, which said its own estimates matched Hotel. Com’s figures, welcomed the price cuts, saying it would boost visitor numbers to the capital.
He said: “We’ve known for years that business patterns do change during an Olympic year due to the nature of hotel rooms being allocated to sponsors and media first – the people who contribute hugely to the cost of the games and then released at a later date.
“With LOCOG’s recent releases, hotels can now manage their remaining availability and ensure that visitors coming to London throughout 2012 will have a positive and enjoyable experience which will make them want to return for future years to come.
"With over 100,000 hotel rooms in the capital, we have always been confident that there would be plenty of room for everyone.
“The beauty of London is that it’s a shot hop away from some of its core markets in Europe and that makes late bookings entirely possible for visitors that want to come to the capital this summer.”
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London 2012: UK Olympic trials, day three as it happened - The Guardian
Tom Lutz will be here from 1ish. Meantime why not read Anna Kessel's report on yesterday's action, including an emotional day for Dwain Chambers.
Dwain Chambers exploded with emotion as he crossed the finish line to win the British 100 metres title and keep his Olympic dream alive. Leaping around the track in unbridled celebration, the 34-year-old who has been struggling for form all season let out a primeval roar to show just how much the victory meant.
Having struggled in the heats and the semi-finals, Chambers ran a season's best time of 10.25sec – still slower than the Olympic 'A' qualifying standard of 10.18 he needs to secure automatic qualification for the Games but enough to show the selectors that Britain's only current sprinter to have run under 10 seconds cannot yet be written off.
Read the rest of the article here.
Afternoon, here's today's timetable.
13:35 MEN HAMMER THROW FINAL
13:55 MEN 5000 METRES WALK FINAL
14:10 WOMEN LONG JUMP FINAL
14:25 WOMEN 5000 METRES WALK FINAL
14:50 MEN HIGH JUMP FINAL
15:00 MEN 200 METRES HEATS
15:15 MEN SHOT PUT FINAL
15:30 WOMEN JAVELIN THROW FINAL
15:35 MEN 110 METRES HURDLES HEATS
16:05 MEN 5000 METRES FINAL
16:26 WOMEN TRIPLE JUMP FINAL
16:30 WOMEN 200 METRES HEATS
16:33 WOMEN POLE VAULT FINAL
17:11 WOMEN 400 METRES HURDLES FINAL
7:22 MEN 400 METRES FINAL
17:28 MEN DISCUS THROW FINAL
17:33 WOMEN 3000 METRES STEEPLECHASE FINAL
17:49 WOMEN 1500 METRES FINAL
17:59 WOMEN 5000 METRES FINAL
18:20 MEN 200 METRES FINAL
18:29 WOMEN 200 METRES FINAL
18:38 MEN 800 METRES FINAL
18:48 MEN 110 METRES HURDLES FINAL
I'm relying on Radio WM's coverage for news from the trials. I used to listen to Tony Butler's show before school in my younger days, so this brings back excellent memories. Tony would set a tricky poser every morning, my favourite of which was: "There's a statue of him". Answer: Robinson Crusoe. No one won that morning.
Anyway, the results of the 100m Heart FM Dads Race are in. Ashley Alder firing home with a wind-assisted 13.69 sec. Andrew James came last in a little over 23sec. I'm guessing the entry conditions weren't too tight on this particular jaunt.
In the boys' under-17 4x200m final Birmingham B have beaten Birmingham A. Who's picking these sides? Birmingham B will have some complaints they weren't in the A team. I smell some match-fixing going on, Birmingham B were 150-1 to win that.
That's right, while we're covering the Euro 2012 quarter-finals later tonight, we're now covering regional under-17s athletics. Don't say we ignore the little man.
While we're waiting for the over-65s Kings Heath wheelbarrow race to reach its thrilling climax, I'll say a little something about today's highlights. In the women's 1,500m at 5.49pm world silver medallist Hannah England is injured and Lisa Dobriskey, Charlene Thomas, Steph Twell and Laura Weightman will battle it out for one place (England is likely to get a place despite her injury).
The men's 200m and 110m hurdles will finish off the trials from 6.20pm onwards. In the latter, world championships bronze medallist Andy Turner is in danger of missing out on a place with Lawrence Clarke and Andy Pozzi heading the rankings.
Alex Wright has won the men's 5,000m walk with a personal best. He headed the field with a time of 19min 48.14sec with a personal best. Tom Bosworth was second with 20min 26sec.
Lorraine Ugen has just put in a huge jump by her standards – 30cm further than her season's best – to put hereself into contention in the women's long jump.
Shara Proctor is looking a decent bet to make the 2012 Games. She's just jumped 6.85m – that's only 5cm shy of the British national record and would have won gold at the 2011 world championships.
In the men's hammer, Alex Smith takes the title with 74.79m, Mark Dry is second with 73.25m. Both men reached the Olympic B standard and should be off to the Games.
The first of the men's 200m heats are about to start. The Olympic A standard is 20.55sec and the the B standard is 20.65sec. Shara Proctor puts in another big jump ... can she take the women's long jump national record? It's 6.95m! She's done it, beating the past record by 5cm and would have won bronze at the 2008 Olympics (there is a strong tailwind, it should be pointed out). Jessica Ennis jumps 6.27cm and moves up to fifth place.
As we prepare for the 200m heats, I should point out that four athletes running today have already achieved the Olympic A Standard this season: Richard Kilty, James Alaka, James Ellington and Christian Malcolm.
Jade Johnson is attempting to make a comeback after time out from top-level athletics but she's in ninth place in the long jump so it looks like she won't be making this summer's Games.
Jade Johnson bows out of the women's long jump. She could only finish ninth. The top six will carry on to the final three jumps. Jess Ennis is waiting to make her final attempt but pulls out at the last second and barely registers a distance. Although it's still further than I could jump.
Marlon Devonish, aged 189, wins his heat in the men's 200m but James Alaka, the UK No1, doesn't qualify. Richard Kilty, the UK No2, didn't do well either and is hanging on to a fastest loser's place.
Marlon Devonish recorded 20.82sec in his men's 200m heat victory, outside the Olympic A standard but he's in the final. If you finish in the top two in the final, and have the A standard you're definitely off to London. Otherwise, the selectors have some thinking to do.
James Ellington, who has an Olympic A standard, wins his 200m heat. He's actually going to the final - the only A standard athlete to do so, so far in this event.
Christian Malcolm gets into the final as a fastest loser, as does Richard Kilty. So three A Standard athletes are into the men's 200m final but only one as a heat winner.
Robbie Grabarz, the second best high jumper in the world this season, and owner of an Olympic A standard is cruising in his event.
In the women's long jump, Shara Proctor has taken first place with a British record of 6.95m, Lorraine Ugen is just 1cm shy of the A standard in 6.74m for second. Proctor will be off to the Games, with Ugen likely to join her.
Goldie Sayers is leading the women's javelin final. But seeing as she's won the British title for the last 20 years (when she was 10) that's not too much of a surprise.
Robbie Grabarz has won the men's high jump. He's got an A standard and won the trials so will be off to the Games. Samson Oni came second and has the B standard so will probably be picked by the selectors later this month.
Lawrence Clarke has won his 110m hurdles heat in 13.38 sec, that's inside the A standard of 13.52sec.
Andy Turner, the world championships bronze medallist, goes in his heat of the 110m hurdles. Turner edges it in 13.64sec.
Right, I'm off now. Simon Burnton will be your host through to the close. Email him at simon.burnton@guardian.co.uk.
Meanwhile in Kitzbuehel, the fourth round of the ITU World Triathlon Championship Triathlon has finished with Britain's Alistair Brownlee destroying the field, and his brother Jonathan came second.
Now for the men's 5,000m. Mo Farah isn't here, having appeared in the 1,500m on Friday. Nick McCormick is the man to watch here, the only man in the field to have met A standard this season. If he finishes in the top two, his place in London is assured.
The men's 5,000m features the extravagantly coiffed Mitch Goose. Here's a picture of Mitch Goose.
McCormick has come second in the 5,000m, behind Ross Millington. That's enough to guarantee his place. Millington, meanwhile, has never even come very close to the B standard and will only be competing in the Olympics if he ups his game considerably in the next couple of weeks.
Next on the track is the women's 200m. Meanwhile, though, the women's javelin is ongoing and the women's triple jump is just about to start.
The first women's 200m heat has just finished, with Anyika Onuora (who has the A qualifying standard) and Louise Bloor qualifying for the final.
The women's pole vaulters are now being introduced. Holly Bleasdale and Kate Dennison are the top two here.
Quite a big story in the women's 200m, particularly if you're a friend or relative of Margaret Adeoye. The 27-year-old has just lowered her personal best from 23.30 to 23.09 in the second heat, which happens to be one hundredth of a second inside the A qualifying standard. It's a massive improvement, and puts her into contention for a place in the Olympics – a top two finish in the final would guarantee it. Also qualifying from that heat was Hayley Jones.
The final women's 200m heat sees Joice Maduaka and Desiree Henry qualify for the final. Maduaka turns 40 next September. According to her sporadically enlightening blog, the best film she has seen in all of the the 38 years and nine months she has so far lived is Love Stinks, the 1999 film starring Tyra Banks which scores 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.
I'm very much looking forward to the start of BBC television coverage in five minutes. BBC Radio West Midlands provide an admirable service, but actually seeing things does help.
We have visuals!
Now for the women's 400m hurdles, starring Perri Shakes Drayton. She and Eilidh Child, also competing here (and actually faster this season) have both reached the A standard.
And those are the top two, with Child apparently in control before she badly misjudged the final hurdle and was overtaken. This matters only for her pride, as both qualify for the Games.
Next up, the men's 400m final. Martyn Rooney is the big name in this one, but there are four athletes who have met the A standard. The top two qualify for certain, but as I understand it they could all make it to London, and not just for the relay.
Rooney wins! An excellent race, the UK No1 overtaking Conrad Williams in the last 100m, while Nigel Levine produced the best finish of them all, to come within a hair's breadth of second place. He didn't quite manage it, but he should be given Team GB's third place. The winning time was 45.93.
Here's our story on the Brownlee brothers, who thrashed the world at the triathlon this afternoon.
Next up, the women's 3,000m steeplechase. Only Elish McColgan has the A standard, though Lennie Waite is not far from the B standard (0.35sec, to be precise). The other 13 runners have never come close to either mark.
Meanwhile in the cricket, Alex Hales has got out for 99 as England attempt to win the third one day international against West Indies. As I write, they need two runs from three balls, with Bopara having just got out as well.
In the women's steeplechase, Carolyn Boosey has lost a shoe. She's gamely continuing with one.
England have won the cricket. I think it's quite curious, the way the BBC are presenting the women's long jump as if it is happening right now, rather than three and a half hours ago. Still, quite a performance from Shara Proctor.
The women's steeplechase ends, with Ellish McColgan winning by a country mile. Hatti Archer just about holds off Emily Stewart to take second place. The winner's mum, Liz, is first to offer her congratulations.
Next up on the track: the women's 1500m. Laura Weightman has the A standard, and Charlene Thomas has the B standard, but Lisa Dobriskey's personal best is some way better than either. If she can recover her form from 2009 and 2010, she could yet make the Games.
An excellent run from Laura Weightman, who outclassed the field over the last 400m and will be at the Olympics. Behind her – and it's quite a long way behind – Lisa Dobriskey just claims second place.
Charlene Thomas came only fourth, behind Montana Jones. Not a good afternoon for the 30-year-old.
The women's 5,000m is currently in progress. Charlotte Purdue is leading with seven and a half laps to go.
Two laps to go in the women's 5,000m, and Jo Pavey is in the lead.
Parker, Bleasdale and Pavey the front three at the bell.
An excellent run by Barbara Parker, but Jo Pavey sprints past her coming out of the final bend and wins comfortably in 15:54.18.
Now for the men's 200m final. Four men have the A standard this season, led by Christian Malcolm's 20.46sec, and a couple more aren't far off.
Of course James Alaka, the fastest Briton over 200m this year, didn't make it to the final.
James Ellington wins, and Christian Malcolm comes through over the last 30m to take second!
A big roar in the stadium – has something exciting happened in the discus?
The BBC team is absolutely fawning over Mary Rand. Colin Jackson seems to be a particularly big fan.
Now for the women's 200m final. Only Anyika Onuora and Margaret Adeoye has the A standard (after shattering her PB in the heats). Can she comfirm a place in the Olympics here?
Adeoye wins! What a day for her! Onuora comes second, so those are the slots in the Olympics filled – and who thought Adeoye would be among them just a couple of hours ago?
Adeoye's time was 23.11, itself a massive improvement on the personal best she brought into the day. Onuora came second in 23.23, Hayley Jones third in 23.42, a season's best.
Holly Bleasdale, meanwhile, has won the women's pole vault with a height of 4.71, a new British record.
Now for the men's 800m final. Michael Rimmer, Andrew Osagie and Gareth Warburton have the A standard, and a couple of others aren't far off. A big race to win, this. Or come second in.
Gareth Warburton leads the field at the bell...
Osagie and Rimmer pass him on the final bend...
Osagie wins, but Michael Rimmer falls away horribly at the end and Mukhtar Mohammed comes through to take second place. He hasn't met the B standard, so Rimmer could yet be reprieved. Osagie's place, though, is secure.
So just the men's 110m hurdles final to go now – and this time there are four men fighting for the top two spots. Andy Turner, Lawrence Clarke and Andrew Pozzi have the A standard and Will Sharman, having come sixth in Daegu last year, could also take a place in London.
What a final 50m from Andrew Pozzi, who surges through to win. Lawrence Clarke comes second, and they will both be at the Olympics. Andy Turner had the best start, but could only take third place. Probably enough for qualification, but...
Turner is now bleeding quite profusely from a quite horribly messed up finger, injured when he fell over the line.
And that's it! The stadium is already nearly empty, as the spectators launch a race of their own, to get back home/to the pub in time for England's Euro 2012 quarter-final. Congratulations to the day's qualifiers, and particularly the day's two big successes: Margaret Adeoye, who came from nowhere to qualify in the women's 200m, and Shara Proctor, who finally beat Bev Kinch's 29-year-old British long jump record.
London 2012 Olympics: Aaron Cook criticises BOA after appeal is rejected - Daily Telegraph
Cook's camp had warned they would be prepared to take the case to the High Court or the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS) if the BOA refused to consider the new evidence.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international body set up to resolve disputes related to sport. But in a statement yesterday the BOA declared that CAS was "not the correct forum" because Cook had not been nominated for selection. It read:
"It is the view of the BOA that the Court of Arbitration for Sport is not the correct forum for Aaron Cook's claims to be heard, as the relevant provisions of the Olympic Charter regarding the jurisdiction of CAS and the Olympic Games relate primarily to athletes who have been nominated for selection by their National Governing Bodies."
"It is also the view of the BOA that the letter and evidence from Aaron Cook's attorneys does not provide sufficient new information for the BOA to direct GB Taekwondo to reopen its selection process."
Responding to the statement Cook accused the BOA of secretly briefing the media about rejecting his latest appeal. He also claims that the organisation conducted a 'highly flawed and personal selection process.'
His own statement read: "Aaron Cook is disappointed with the British Olympic Association’s briefing to certain media yesterday of their confidential letter, which they sent to his lawyers at Harbottle & Lewis on Friday evening. Aaron and his team strongly disagree with the BOA's position and they responded to the BOA in writing last night."
The statement argues that CAS is the ideal forum to hear Cook's case and that the athlete should be given a chance to prove his ability to compete in the Olympic Games.
"The BOA may not agree with Aaron's case, but it has a legal and moral obligation to find an appropriate, fair and transparent resolution for Aaron.
"Aaron deserves nothing less. It is beyond belief that the BOA wants the British public to believe that the internationally renowned sports tribunal that deals with urgent disputes regarding the Olympics is not the right court to hear Aaron's urgent case."
" Nor is it objectively clear to Aaron or to anyone in his team why the World Number 1 in his weight category and discipline has not already been selected for Team GB."
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