Pictured: Mark Doleman
With less than nine months to go, nearly half of small and
medium sized businesses in Nottingham are expecting disruption to
their operations as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,
according to a new report from Deloitte, the official professional
services provider to London 2012.
The report, Entrepreneurship UK, surveyed owners of private
businesses in the region and found that 46% of respondents believed
the Games will impact on their business operations. Of those that
anticipate disruption staff unavailability and transport were the
biggest concerns (18% of total respondents respectively) followed
by client/customer scarcity (5%) and resources scarcity (5%).
Mark Doleman, head of entrepreneurial business and senior
partner at Deloitte in Nottingham, comments: "There seems to be a
good level of awareness amongst local SMEs of the potential impact
of the Games, but with less than a year to go it's important that
others also start realising the implications. The clock is ticking
and planning needs to start now - supplies, transport, travel, and
staff availability will all be critical considerations."
The latest findings follow the announcement earlier this year
that two of Nottingham's iconic landmarks, the Robin Hood Statue
and the National Ice Centre, have been selected as focal points on
the Olympic Torch Relay Route. Torch events are already being
planned for Thursday 28th June 2012 as part of the Council's
programme of activities (themed 'Game On') that will be taking part
over the Summer.
"We know from previous Games that businesses tend to
underestimate the sheer breadth and scale of the impact of the
Olympic and Paralympic Games, and this survey suggests it could
happen again next year - despite the huge opportunity. Companies
large and small should be planning now to take advantage of
increased demand and new customers."