WEYMOUTH seafront is getting dressed for the Olympics and the decorations are set to roll out across Portland and up to Dorchester.

With just 37 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events arrive in Dorset, the start of the ‘Look and Feel’ scheme is going up around the resort.

Consistent with all other London 2012 venues throughout the United Kingdom, areas across Weymouth and Portland, extending out as far as Dorchester, will be dressed at key locations.

These include the Esplanade, Weymouth train station, park and ride sites, key road junctions, the harbour area, Brewers Quay, Radipole Lake, The Nothe, Olympic Village on Portland and up to Easton.

Phase one of the installation, which started this week, will focus on lampposts, flags and banners along the seafront and Esplanade.

Phase two will see bunting, flowers, and other display materials put in place as the borough shapes up as a host venue for the London 2012 sailing events.

The third and final phase will see the park and ride areas dressed for the big event.

Installation will take place over a four-week period, ahead of the Olympic Torch Relay’s arrival on Thursday, July 12 and the opening of the Games on Friday, July 27. Crews will install the Look and Feel items overnight to minimise any disruption.

Angus Campbell, chairman of the Dorset Olympic Board, said: “It’s been a truly collaborative effort planning the location and installation of the various Look and Feel elements, but this is one of the final preparations that really does announce the arrival of the Games here in Dorset.

“Having such a spectacular array of colour for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is exhilarating and inspirational and I’m sure that both visitors and locals will feel a real sense of the excitement and anticipation of being in a remarkable Olympic venue.”

Last November, borough councillors unanimously approved an application for advertisement consent to enable the Look and Feel installation to go ahead.

Funded through central government as part of the overall London 2012 budget, the total cost of the project locally is £440,000 which includes materials, installation, design and insurance.

Project planning has been lead by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council with support from Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council.

The Olympic Look and Feel, which includes the new Olympic Rings sculpture at Weymouth train station, will stay up throughout the Olympic period, which runs from July 27 to August 12.

The dressing will then be changed for the Paralympic Games, from August 31 to September 6, and the displays will instead carry the Paralympic logo known as the Agitos