黑洞社区

The chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority has said the strict rules restricting construction firms involved in the Olympic Games from promoting their work should be relaxed to allow firms to tell their success stories.

Speaking at the Ecobuild conference today, John Armitt told delegates that in a report to be submitted to government he 鈥渨ould recommend a relaxation鈥� of the marketing protocols, which restrict construction firms involved in the Olympic Games from promoting their involvement.

Armitt is mid-way through preparing a report for culture secretary Jeremy Hunt detailing what has been learnt from the 拢9.3bn process to build the Olympic Games, which is being seen as a vehicle for UK firms to demonstrate their role.

British companies won 98% of the 1,550 tier one contracts for the construction programme.

Armitt said the marketing restrictions, which have been a source of intense controversy in the past few months as the Games near, should be relaxed to allow UK firms to tell their success stories.

He said: 鈥淚t has undoubtedly been a big thrust of my report that there is a big opportunity for UK firms to pick up and expand and use the reputation they have developed here.

鈥淭here鈥檒l be millions of people coming to London and it鈥檚 an enormous advertising and marketing opportunity for UK Ltd.鈥�

Asked if he鈥檇 favour a relaxation of International Olympic Committee 鈥渘o marketing protocol鈥�, enforced through contracts with suppliers, he said: 鈥淚 would, although I have sympathy with the no marketing protocol.

鈥淢arketing rights are pretty rigidly held during the period of the games. The key is going to be the release of that after the Games, so that British companies can do a lot more, after the Games, to maximise their opportunity.鈥�

Armitt鈥檚 position on the marketing issue has changed since last month,

that the prime minister has asked Olympics minister Hugh Robertson to look into complaints that firms involved in building London鈥檚 Olympic park are being prevented from taking 鈥渄ue credit鈥�.

This followed a call-to-arms on the issue by Peter Murray, New London Architecture boss, in 黑洞社区. Firms such as Olympic stadium engineer Buro Happold backed Murray鈥檚 complaint that LOCOG is being unduly strict in protecting the marketing rights of sponsor firms such as Populous and Atkins.

Armitt鈥檚 intervention comes after Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) chair Margaret Ford, chief executive Andrew Altman and ODA chief executive Dennis Hone, earlier this month at the Mipim conference in Cannes.