9:00am Saturday 31st October 2009
By Martin Lea
A FISH and chip shop in the back streets of Weymouth and the greatest show on earth, which in 2012 will be watched by an estimated 5.2 billion people around the globe.
They may not appear to have much in common, but when you consider that Weymouth and Portland will be hosting Olympic sailing events in less than three years’ time, you can forgive chip shop owner Paul Hay for being very excited about the prospect.
Mr Hay, who runs Fish ‘n’ Fritz in Market Street with his wife Julie, sees the Games as a unique opportunity for local businesses to raise their game.
He visited Sydney to see how the city had benefited from hosting the 2000 Olympics and came back brimming with ideas.
“Anyone who says the Olympics are just two weeks of games is wrong – this is an opportunity for us to raise the standard and reap the benefits,” said Mr Hay.
He has already seen a rise in trade from pre-Olympic events such as Spirit of the Sea and is looking forward to welcoming more people from different cultures and backgrounds seeking a traditional British meal of fish and chips.
Menus are available in different languages and there are plans to produce one for the blind. The business has disabled access and baby changing facilities, and staff are trained in customer service and can provide information on the local area. There have also been business seminars at Fish ‘n’ Fritz to help firms cater for international tourists.
Mr Hay said: “It doesn’t seem a lot, but every little helps. The more we can do around Weymouth the better.
“Look at Barcelona. I know we’re much different, but the Olympics has made the city the most sought-after weekend destination in Europe.”
It’s the sort of spirit that Gary Fooks, 2012 Legacy Manager for Team Dorset, is eager to promote.
He says once you look at 2012 as a catalyst for change and an accelerant for growth and development, the business opportunities are endless.
Mr Fooks dismisses the Olympic cynics who believe there will be no benefits, but he says it is no good sitting back and waiting for things to happen – you have to go out and grasp it. There’s no big pot of money either, but by working in creative and entrepreneurial ways, businesses can reap the benefits.
And they are already starting to happen. In September this year, for example, the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy was the venue for the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta which featured 450 competitors, and Weymouth TIC reported booking an additional £55,000 of accommodation linked to the event. Next year it is expected that 750 people from all over the world will take part.
Mr Fooks said: “This is an opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and services.
“We have to sell Weymouth and Portland as a great place to live, visit, learn and invest in, and we have to build up that energy now and start shouting about ourselves.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We are the only venue outside London hosting an entire sport. And when people see the sailing against the magnificent backdrop of the Jurassic Coast, they will want to come here.”
There are a significant number of Dorset businesses and organisations now actively involved in 2012-linked economic activity. It is estimated that £400million will be spent in the local economy between now and 2012.
The regeneration of Osprey Quay and the creation of Weymouth and Portland as a centre for marine excellence represent a big chunk of that money. This regeneration would have happened anyway, but Mr Fooks says there is an urgency to get things done because of the Olympics.
There is a target to create 1,400 jobs at Osprey Quay by 2016 – 290 jobs have been created so far.
Mr Fooks said: “Weymouth and Portland are getting 30 years of infrastructure development crammed into three years.
“There’s been a huge push to redevelop Osprey Quay and to construct the Weymouth Relief Road, and there’s no doubt that 2012 has acted as a crucial lever for these projects.”
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