It's time to get ready for the arrival of the Olympic Torch
Tuesday, 12th June 2012.
Businesses in Suffolk are being urged to make sure they are ready for the Olympic torch’s arrival in the county – which is now only 23 days away.
Suffolk’s Olympics chiefs have called on businesses across the county – and in particular in the 16 towns and villages to be visited by the flame – to think about what they can do to prepare for and capitalise on the spectacle which has so far attracted crowds in excess of 100,000 a day.
Organisers in Haverhill have been re-thinking their plans after seeing similar-sized towns drawing 25,000 to 30,000 spectators.
Making the call as part of ‘Make Sure You’re Ready Day’, Cllr Colin Noble, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member responsible for sport and the London 2012 Games, said: “We’ve already seen the public interest the Olympic torch is creating and we want our local businesses to be able to make the most of that.
“The first thing to do is check whether the torch will be passing near to your business. If so, then it really is worth thinking about what needs to be done so that you can ensure things run smoothly and you’re in the best possible position to capitalise on the opportunity.
“A few small checks and plans made now could make all the difference on the day.”
The torch comes to Haverhill on Saturday, July 7,arriving soon after 2.30pm and taking half-an-hour to progress from the top of Camps Road to the top of Wratting Hill via High Street, Mount Road and Ehringshausen Way.
The market on that day will be relocated to the market square and civic dignitaries will view the torch as it passes Haverhill Arts Centre.
The organisers of the torch route have not yet divulged which of the eleven sections of the route will see Haverhill's two torchbearers in action - Paralympian caroline Maclean and teenager Izzy Gower.
Issues which Olympics chiefs say businesses will need to think about include:
·Staff – Will their travel to work be affected and do they need to make other plans?
· Customers – Should we open earlier, hold more stock or change appointments?
· Parking – Will normal parking access be affected?
· Meetings – Will visitors coming for meetings get delayed?
· Deliveries and waste – Will my usual deliveries or collections be affected?
Every day of the Olympic torch relay so far has attracted large crowds eager to be part of it as it passes through their local area.
Roads along some sections of the route may be closed for some time before the torch arrives and until it has passed.
There will also be a ‘rolling road closure’ moving with the torch. Traffic control arrangements have been designed to ensure that traffic flows return to normal as quickly as possible after the convoy has passed.
Traffic marshals and stewards will be positioned along the route to offer help, advice and directions.
About five to ten minutes before the torch arrives, various sponsors’ vehicles will travel past giving out freebies and getting the crowds ready for the main event.
To help keep residents and businesses up to date with the torch relay’s route to, and through, Suffolk, the county’s councils and police force will be using the social media website Twitter to send out regular news.
Updates will also be available on the organisations’ websites and by contacting them by telephone directly.
Advice on planning for the torch relay has been published on Suffolk County Council’s website. It can be downloaded here: www.suffolk.gov.uk/readyforthetorch (nb: link will be live by this evening).
Suffolk’s Olympics chiefs have called on businesses across the county – and in particular in the 16 towns and villages to be visited by the flame – to think about what they can do to prepare for and capitalise on the spectacle which has so far attracted crowds in excess of 100,000 a day.
Organisers in Haverhill have been re-thinking their plans after seeing similar-sized towns drawing 25,000 to 30,000 spectators.
Making the call as part of ‘Make Sure You’re Ready Day’, Cllr Colin Noble, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member responsible for sport and the London 2012 Games, said: “We’ve already seen the public interest the Olympic torch is creating and we want our local businesses to be able to make the most of that.
“The first thing to do is check whether the torch will be passing near to your business. If so, then it really is worth thinking about what needs to be done so that you can ensure things run smoothly and you’re in the best possible position to capitalise on the opportunity.
“A few small checks and plans made now could make all the difference on the day.”
The torch comes to Haverhill on Saturday, July 7,arriving soon after 2.30pm and taking half-an-hour to progress from the top of Camps Road to the top of Wratting Hill via High Street, Mount Road and Ehringshausen Way.
The market on that day will be relocated to the market square and civic dignitaries will view the torch as it passes Haverhill Arts Centre.
The organisers of the torch route have not yet divulged which of the eleven sections of the route will see Haverhill's two torchbearers in action - Paralympian caroline Maclean and teenager Izzy Gower.
Issues which Olympics chiefs say businesses will need to think about include:
·Staff – Will their travel to work be affected and do they need to make other plans?
· Customers – Should we open earlier, hold more stock or change appointments?
· Parking – Will normal parking access be affected?
· Meetings – Will visitors coming for meetings get delayed?
· Deliveries and waste – Will my usual deliveries or collections be affected?
Every day of the Olympic torch relay so far has attracted large crowds eager to be part of it as it passes through their local area.
Roads along some sections of the route may be closed for some time before the torch arrives and until it has passed.
There will also be a ‘rolling road closure’ moving with the torch. Traffic control arrangements have been designed to ensure that traffic flows return to normal as quickly as possible after the convoy has passed.
Traffic marshals and stewards will be positioned along the route to offer help, advice and directions.
About five to ten minutes before the torch arrives, various sponsors’ vehicles will travel past giving out freebies and getting the crowds ready for the main event.
To help keep residents and businesses up to date with the torch relay’s route to, and through, Suffolk, the county’s councils and police force will be using the social media website Twitter to send out regular news.
Updates will also be available on the organisations’ websites and by contacting them by telephone directly.
Advice on planning for the torch relay has been published on Suffolk County Council’s website. It can be downloaded here: www.suffolk.gov.uk/readyforthetorch (nb: link will be live by this evening).
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)