Ministers hoping Olympics event provides £1bn boost

David Cameron hopes the Olympics can provide a boost to the UK economy
David Cameron hopes the Olympics can provide a boost to the UK economy
 
 

Thursday, 26, Jul 2012 12:13

By Mark Fordham

More than 4,000 business leaders and politicians are in London for an Olympics investment event that ministers hope could see up to £1 billion invested in the UK.

UK Trade and Investment hopes the 17 London events will help showcase UK business as a viable investment option.

Leaders of organisations such as Google and the European Central Bank will be an attendance at the meetings.

The Olympics, which properly begins with the Opening Ceremony tomorrow (July 27th) evening, is expected to add £13 billion to UK investment.

This will come as welcome news following the announcement yesterday that the UK's gross domestic product shrank 0.7 per cent in the three months to the end of June. This extends the double-dip recession to being the longest in the country for over 50 years.

Prime minister David Cameron told BBC News that this investment would likely come from deals struck during the Games and also from the tourism boost London is sure to see.