TourEast London |
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January 2008 |
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News and Features Wood Wharf - a New Cityscape for the Isle of Dogs |
WelcomeDear Colleague Welcome to the latest edition of the TourEast London Newsletter. This edition is crammed with news and developments from east London, including a focus on ExCeL London, news on the Wood Wharf regeneration project, Britannia International and Threadneedles hotel and updates from Eurostar and the Docklands Light Railway. Best Wishes, TourEast London N.B. Should you not wish to receive this quarterly update, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. |
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FOCUS: ExCeL London
The Platinum Conference Suite can stage conferences and dinners for between 400–1,100 delegates, whilst an additional 45 meeting rooms – many with dockside views – can cater for between 20–200 delegates. There are six onsite hotels, providing 1,500 bedrooms to delegates, ranging from budget to four star, 4,000 car parking spaces and three on-site DLR stations – linking to the Jubilee line. London City Airport, which is five minutes away from ExCeL London, offers over 200 flights a day, from more than 30 European destinations. Across the campus, a new Japanese restaurant has opened, as well as an Italian and Caribbean restaurant, and a revamp of many boulevard retail units has taken place to widen the food and beverage offering. For further information, please visit the corporate website www.excel-london.co.uk |
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Wood Wharf - a New Cityscape for the Isle of Dogs
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Restoring East London's Waterways
The new lock, which is funded by British Waterways, the Department for Transport, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and Transport for London, will enable large river barges to access the area by water, helping to take hundreds of lorry journeys a week from local roads and save thousands of tonnes of CO2. It is part of a Defra-backed recommendation for the sustainable restoration of the waterways in the Lower Lea Valley developed by British Waterways, the Environment Agency and Natural England, together with a broad range of stakeholders. The recommendation promotes a green and accessible corridor along the waterways, with a series of towpaths, cycleways, wildlife habitats and restored waterways offering new opportunities for leisure boats, water taxis, trip boats and floating restaurants alongside sustainable developments. For further information visit www.britishwaterways.co.uk/olympics |
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News from Lewisham CouncilCornmill Gardens As part of the regeneration of Lewisham Town Centre, Cornmill Gardens opened on 13 September 2007 after undergoing significant transformation. The Gardens right opposite Lewisham DLR station provide a tranquil green space on the banks of River Ravensbourne and a public piazza suitable for events. Hundreds visited the Gardens for the first Lewisham Country Fayre on 23 September 2007, where activities included fruit bingo and cake-making. Due to its phenomenal success, there will be another Fayre taking place over two days in 2008 on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September.
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Britannia International Britannia International hotel has panoramic views of Canary Wharf offering newly refurbished and possibly the largest conference and banqueting facilities and number of bedrooms of any hotel in the area. Boasting 15 conference suites with state-of-the-art equipment, many overlooking the River Thames in this 442 bedroomed modern hotel. Facilities include complimentary wireless Internet, three restaurants, two bars, 15 conference suites and Spindles Health and Leisure Club. Set in the heart of London’s Docklands this four-star hotel is only a stone’s throwaway from Canary Wharf, 10 minutes from ExCeL London by DLR and 15 minutes from central London on Jubilee line, making it ideal for all your leisure needs.
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Threadneedles Luxury Retreat - Your Spa Day
Return to five star boutique hotel Threadneedles, located in a beautifully converted banking hall built in 1856. There are only 69 bedrooms so staff can concentrate on providing you with a five star service. This package is from £400 (£200 per person), based on double occupancy. Price includes a hearty breakfast and VAT. Available weekends. The spa is a few minutes walk from Threadneedles hotel. Subject to availability and confirmation.
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TourEast London UpdateTourEast London is a unique example of a successful tourism partnership established in 1996 to promote the sustainable visitor economy of east London, both north and south of the River Thames. Our core focus is within the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham and Lewisham and our objectives are to:
Our tourism partners are all high profile, dynamic organisations working together to promote leisure and business tourism products and services in and around east London. If you would like to find out more about working with us, please contact mary@visiteastlondon.co.uk Web statistics show that the www.VisitEastLondon.co.uk website currently receives over 500,000 hits and over 14,000 unique users each month and is visited by users from over 90 countries. The top ten nationalities visiting the website monthly usually includes GB, USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Australia and France, with the US providing the most overseas users. Furthermore, users from South Africa, India and China are increasingly using the website too.
East London Destination Training Demand grows for the free destination training that is offered to accommodation providers and their staff in east and central London. A brand new toolkit for 2008 has been produced for front of house staff and can be downloaded here (PDF). The training is aimed at enhancing customer care that providers can give their customers by being able to recommend local tourism products and services. Training is carried out at the hotel or tourist information centre and includes brochure distribution to attending staff, explanation of the new toolkit as a resource and a presentation on several east London destinations - what there is to see and do and how to get around. If you wish to find out more about our FREE training, please contact info@visiteastlondon.co.uk. |
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There are also plans to increase the venue’s space, flexibility and functionality even further, as part of a seamless extension of the original building. Phase 2 intends to provide a greater sense of arrival at the east end of the venue, an increase in total event space from 65,000 sq m to just under 100,000 sq m. This will include a 5,000-seat semi-permanent auditorium, extra conference and meeting rooms, mezzanine casual dining, a production kitchen and additional underground parking. If built, Phase 2 would be completed in 2010. There are also possible plans for a leisure and entertainment district which would make full use of the waterside location and could include an additional hotel, bars, restaurants, spa, music club, tourist attraction, training academy for the local community and potentially a new casino. 
A major new Community Park forms part of the masterplan for the comprehensive redevelopment of Wood Wharf on the Isle of Dogs, just east of the Canary Wharf estate. 
The masterplan also aims to provide enhanced access to the waterspace with world class waterfront recreational areas, additional moorings and a new canal. There will also be a new high street with shops, cafes and restaurants running through the heart of Wood Wharf.
Plans to restore the Bow Back Rivers which criss-cross the Olympic Park are well underway with the construction of Prescott Lock and water control structures alongside Three Mills Island in Bow. 
Horniman Museum in Forest Hill attained a Silver in the Visit London Visitor Attraction of Year 2007 awards. The museum came third in London’s entries for the Pride of Place poll. This is part of the Communities and Local Government's 'Connect to your Council' campaign which encourages citizens to make their council websites a first port of call for services and information. 
For general enquiries please call 020 7712 0100.
Switch off your mobile phone, kick off your shoes and wrap yourself in a luxury cotton bathrobe. Your whole day of pampering starts with a tour of nearby spa The City Point Club. Enjoy a refreshing drink, a choice of 3 treatments (each 25 mins) from a massage, a facial, body scrub, manicure or pedicure. Enjoy a healthy lunch, use of the pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, plunge pool, the gymnasium, all aerobics and yoga classes, squash courts, or simply chill out in the tropical fish lounge. 
You will not find a lower price anywhere and the price is only available by booking the spa day break directly with the hotel. Call 020 7657 8080 or email 
Eurostar 
St Pancras International is served by six underground lines, including the Hammersmith and City line and Northern line, both of which give connections to the DLR and Jubilee line for onwards travel to east London. 
Extending station platforms to accommodate longer trains
London Development Agency East London Tourism Update