Great Britain enjoys lasting legacy from 2012 Olympic Games

Three years on from the Olympic Games in 2012, the City of London and Great Britain as a whole continue to enjoy the benefits from hosting the Games.

In the third annual report to be released since the Games, Inspired by 2012: The legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the UK Government and Mayor of London have revealed the lasting benefits and positive impact provided by the Games. 

The Games generated a huge interest in sport across the country and many initiatives have been put in place to capitalise on the enthusiasm and encourage people to get involved. Since 2011, Sport England has invested GBP 165 million in more than 2,400 community sports facilities while, in London, there have been 400,000 participants in grassroots sport and physical activities through the Mayor of London’s sports legacy programme.  

On an economic level, an additional 3.48 million tourist visits since 2011/12 as a result of Games-related promotion activity has led to a further GBP 2.1 billion spending. Meanwhile, following the successful hosting of the Games, British businesses have won more than GBP 60 million in contracts for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Three years on from the London Games, the spirit of London 2012 is still going strong. Over the past year, we have built on the extraordinary economic benefits that London 2012 brought to the UK by securing contracts with other major events around the world.” 

As well as global events, the UK has staged a wide range of elite sporting competitions, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and events in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Since it fully reopened to the public in April 2014, almost five million people have visited the park and its world-class sporting venues. 

The Olympic Stadium hosted Diamond League athletics in July and will stage five Rugby World Cup matches later this year. In 2016, the multi-purpose venue, which can also host concerts and exhibitions, will become the permanent home of English Premier League club West Ham United in 2016. 

As part of the continued regeneration of East London, the Olympic Village – now known as East Village – is home to more than 4,500 people, while over 40 per cent of space has been let in the former Press and Broadcast Centres, which are being transformed into a digital quarter. 

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is rapidly becoming one of the city’s go-to destinations, welcoming almost five million people since it reopened, to enjoy a diverse range of attractions, community projects, and high-profile events. 

“Over 10,000 people have been employed in construction and other jobs on the Park and in the venues, and 54 new apprenticeships have been created by employers on the park, 90 per cent of whom were local.” 

For more information on the London 2012 Olympic Games, go to www.olympic.org/london-2012-summer-olympics