TourEast London |
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May 2007 |
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Inside This Issue... London Development Agency East London Tourism Update Newham's 'Be a Local Tourist' Campaign Success Walk the Olympic Park - Last Chance Newham Tour Itineraries Royal Opening for The Peter Harrison Planetarium Starting Up a Bed And Breakfast - Yes Please! Save the Spitz and Save the William Morris Gallery |
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 report on the TourEast London Spring Ball, a focus on The O2 which opens in July 2007 and details of the new Peter Harrison Planetarium in Greenwich. The next edition of this newsletter will be published in July 2007. Please send us any interesting news by 13th July 2007 and we will consider it for inclusion. Email: info@visiteastlondon.co.uk. Best Wishes, TourEast London N.B. Should you not wish to receive this quarterly update, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. |
TourEast London Update
Guests enjoyed a three course meal with prizes and games and entertainment from the Ross Mitchell Band, as well as a fiery performance from professional dancers Richard and Teresa. Many thanks to all of our partners who donated prizes, and to Bateaux London and London Marriott West India Quay for sponsoring the event. Web statistics show that the www.VisitEastLondon.co.uk website currently receives over 13,000 unique users (a unique user is, for a specified period of time such as a day or month, an individual that has visited a website) and over 300,000 hits each month and is visited by users from over 90 countries. The top ten nationalities visiting the website monthly includes GB, USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and France, with the US providing the most overseas users.
East London Destination Training Demand grows for the free destination training that is offered to accommodation providers and their staff in east and now central London. The training is aimed at enhancing customer care that providers can give their customers by being able to recommend local tourism products and services. If you wish to schedule in a free session, please contact sharon@visiteastlondon.co.uk. |
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FOCUS: The O2
In Zone 2 of London’s Underground, The O2 is situated at the North Greenwich station on the Jubilee Line, which provides direct access to central London in less than twenty minutes. In September 2006 AEG Europe acquired a majority stake in Thames Clippers, the capital’s largest fleet of commuter boats, improving transport connections to the Greenwich Peninsula and The O2 via the river. Exclusive Pre Sale Opportunity to AEG selected companies for The VIP Club at The O2
The VIP Club is the perfect option for companies/office departments wishing to entertain clients and staff or for music and entertainment fans, not wanting to miss any of the world class acts and events in the O2 arena. Exclusive membership options will guarantee members the right to purchase up to 4 tickets to every event at The O2 arena, that go on sale from the date that membership starts as well as guaranteed access to The VIP Club Lounge, a private members bar and dining facility, located in the arena itself in which it is possible to entertain guests pre and post event. Further benefits include a concierge service, a dedicated service to help with general venue enquiries and reserving tables at over 25 bars and restaurants within The O2’s entertainment district, member only benefits at other events and venues within The O2, as well fast track entrance, priority car parking and more. Membership is strictly limited and The VIP Club membership will be only be sold on a first come first serve basis. Membership starts at £5,000 + VAT per year, for guaranteed access to purchase 2 tickets for all events at The O2 arena. There are substantial cost savings to be made for booking 2 and 3 year memberships. To book membership now or for further information regarding our exclusive membership scheme, please contact Dawn Jones on 020 7536 2649 or email djones@aegworldwide.co.uk. Click here to view The O2 VIP brochure (PDF) and click here to view the exclusive flyer (PDF). Restaurants and Bars
• Gary Rhodes - a history of stunning restaurants has won him a constellation of Michelin stars and he is consistently revered by his peers as The Chef's Chef. • Frankie & Benny’s - a New York Italian restaurant. • Inc Brassiere - offers stylish ambience with High Street prices, complimented with a wine list packed with classic French favourites. • Las Iguanas - a tasty blend of traditional and contemporary South American food, fresh ingredients and plenty of Latin hospitality. • Nando’s - originating from South Africa with a Portuguese-theme, Nando’s specialises in flame-grilled chicken dishes. • • S & M café - prides itself in preparing the highest quality British dishes daily from the finest freshest ingredients. • Spur Steak Ranches - this South African family steak house is renowned for its famous signature steaks, generous portions and extremely tasty food. • Starbucks Coffee Company - the largest coffeehouse company in the world comes to The O2. • Thai Silk restaurant & bar - renowned for serving the freshest of ingredients this Thai Silk has a buzz that can only be attributed to the consistent quality of the food being served. • Urban Inc - a contemporary and stylish cocktail bar mixing influences old and new. • Wasabi - the new style of sushi of comes to The O2. It is an ideal answer to those uninspired lunches and dinners. • Water Margin - this oriental buffet restaurant is designed along clean, modern lines where diners can enjoy oriental cuisine in a stylish atmosphere at an affordable price. • Zizzi - an impressive Italian restaurant chain with a variety of Italian dishes, calzones, pizza and pasta, all at reasonable prices. Music Events Exciting events confirmed so far in The O2 arena and indigO2 include:
24th June - Bon Jovi 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th July - Justin Timberlake 18th July - Barbara Streisand
26th, 27th, 28th July - Scissor Sisters 21st, 23rd, 26th August - The Rolling Stones 29th, 30th November and 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th December - Take That indigO2
5th July - Natalie Cole 7th July - Bedford Bandstand - Lucie Silvas with Jamie Woon, Foy Vance and Karima Francis 12th July - CAKE 17th July - Blind Boys of Alabama and Mavis Staples 21st July - Youssou N’Dour
Booking information for all music events as well as other scheduled sports, family and entertainment events, including Amir Khan V Willie Lomond on 14th July can be found by visiting www.theo2.co.uk. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of The Pharaohs
For pre-registration information, visit www.kingtut.org Media Contacts: Greenwich and Docklands International Festival The O2 will be hosting The Greenwich+Docklands International Festival - London’s only annual festival dedicated to large scale outdoor spectacle, on Sunday 24th June. The Festival will be one of the first free access public events to be held under The O2’s iconic roof. Booking Information For further information please phone About AEG
For further information about AEG or The O2 visit www.theo2.co.uk |
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London Development Agency East London Tourism Update1. Sub-Regional Review - available now |
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Newham’s 'Be a Local Tourist' Campaign Success
Walk the Olympic Park while you still can! Once works begin, part of this walk will become inaccessible. Enjoy it now, while the weather is glorious. Free group walks every Sunday at 11am and 2pm in May and June. No need to book. For further details, go to www.newham.com/2012Games Newham Tour Itineraries – coming soon |
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First Thursdays is generously funded by Arts Council England and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. First Thursdays is a major part of the Mayor of London’s Late Night London campaign, also launching in May, which opens up London as a 24-hour city. |
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Royal Opening for the Peter Harrison Planetarium
For further information visit www.nmm.ac.uk |
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The London Bridge BID Company Carries on the Legacy of The Pool of London Partnership
Potters Field Park: A Grand Opening - 17th to 19th May 2007 Located beside Tower Bridge and City Hall on the south side of the Thames, Potters Fields Park is one of the most significant green open spaces along the Thames. Over the past year the park has been redesigned and transformed into a world class open space befitting of this prestigious location and is now ready to open once again to the public. The opening will be celebrated over a three day period with a packed programme of events that the whole family can enjoy. For further information visit www.londonbridgebid.co.uk |
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Starting Up a Bed & Breakfast - Yes Please! Web trends and telephone enquiries before the event indicated that it would be well attended, with over 100 enquiries prior to the event and over 1,500 visiting the Tourism website. The response on the day itself was amazing.
London Borough of Lewisham was the first London Borough to run this type of event in the lead up to the Olympics. Results of the event will be fed back to the London Development Agency to help other Boroughs. More locally, help and advice will now be available in a much more joined-up format for those who want help with new start-ups in this area of hospitality. More B&Bs = more visitors = more local spending = improved local economy! For more information please contact Jo Middleton on 0208 314 3674 or email jo.middleton@lewisham.gov.uk Click here to view a list of existing B&Bs in Lewisham (PDF). Click here to see what there is to do in Lewisham (PDF). |
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It is fortunate that we don’t report very often on places under threat, but this quarter we have two campaigns which we would appreciate you adding your voice to. They include; Save The Spitz Campaign
Now in its twelfth year The Spitz has established an internationally recognised reputation as London’s leading independent non-mainstream music venue and a gallery that specializes in socially aware photo journalism. The irony of the Up until the end of September (and hopefully beyond!) it will be 100% business as usual. If you’d like to sign the Save The Spitz online petition and/or make a donation please go to www.spitz.co.uk . All press enquiries to Rupert Orton on rupert@spitz.co.uk Save The William Morris Gallery Campaign The following is an excerpt from The Guardian newspaper:
And yet, despite being feted around the world, the gallery is under threat. The London borough of Waltham Forest says it needs to cut costs. It wants to drastically cut back opening hours and push its hugely respected keeper, Peter Cormack and his small team from their jobs. The aim, say many local people is to prepare the way for complete closure. The move suggests that local politicians have little idea who Morris is, or why he matters. Supporters have written to culture secretary Tessa Jowell, asking her to overrule any decision to cut funding. The mayor Ken Livingstone, feels equally strongly, pointing out: "Waltham Forest already has one of the lowest levels of cultural provision in the capital." The council has received thousands of letters of protest from as far afield as California and Australia, while more than 8,400 (and rising), people have signed an online petition [www.keepourmuseumsopen.org.uk]. The William Morris Gallery is at Forest Road, Walthamstow, London. Tel: 020 8527 3782 |
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TourEast London would like to welcome Ian Kirby and his company Coach Potato. Coach Potato offer fully-packaged London holidays and great days out with expert guides for individuals, coach companies or groups. |
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Useful Web Links Visit www.visiteastlondon.co.uk for up and coming events listings this season and for more information on our unusual and quirky products and leisure ideas. |
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To celebrate east London’s many tourism products, venues and services, TourEast London hosted the inaugural TourEast London Spring Ball on April 26th 2007, at the 
The O2, a world-class entertainment destination on the site of the former Millennium Dome, comes alive in July 2007. AEG Europe have partnered with O2 to create the UK’s most exciting and technically advanced music, sport and entertainment destination - The O2. At its centre The O2 arena, with a capacity of up to 23,000 will host up to 150 world-class music, entertainment and sport events in The O2 arena in its first year of opening. Within the facility there will also be a smaller music club – indigO2 - with a capacity of 2,200, an 11-screen cinema, an ice rink, a world-class exhibition 
space and a vibrant ‘entertainment district’ featuring more than 20 bars, restaurants, retail and leisure facilities. 
The O2 and AEG Europe are proud to present The VIP Club, which gives members guaranteed access to Europe’s finest state-of-the-art music and Entertainment Venue – The O2. 
The O2 has announced the line up for its mouth-watering mix of restaurants and bars, where customers can have anything from a light snack to a first-class dining experience. Outlined below are just some of the many places you can choose to have a meal when visiting The O2. 
PizzaExpress - brings the true tastes of Italy to The O2. 
21st July - Keane
2nd July - Jools Holland
27 July - Aimee Mann
The much anticipated Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition is coming to The O2 this November. London last experienced the legendary Pharaoh almost 35 years ago with the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition. Drawing over 1.5 million visitors, it was the largest attended travelling exhibition in the history of the British Museum.
Four vast open public spaces, situated in the Entertainment Avenue, will host some of the best, most daring and visually ravishing street theatre companies in the world. This exhilarating event will include thrilling new work and return visits from several of Greenwich+Docklands International Festival’s most talked about companies from previous years, such as Plasticiens Volants, Sarruga, Aeroplume, Factoria Mascara and many more.
AEG is one of the leading music, sports and entertainment presenters in the world. It owns or operates some of the world’s best arenas and theatres such as STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, The Forum (as exclusive bookers of sports and entertainment), the Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas, the El Rey Theatre, The Home Depot Center, Nokia Theatre Grand Prairie (Texas) and Nokia Theatre Times Square (New York); numerous sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) and The David Beckham Academy; and AEG Live, a collection of companies dedicated to producing, promoting and presenting world-class live entertainment.
Newham celebrated British Tourism Week by encouraging local residents to take advantage of what is on their doorstep. Over 2000 residents requested vouchers for free tours, discounts or special offers at 26 borough attractions. Exclusive highlights included behind the scenes peeks at Theatre Royal Stratford East, 3 Mills Studios and free boat tours of the developing Olympic Park. 
East London is home to thousands of artists and over 160 galleries. First Thursdays is a late night chance to see and invest in art, creating a new social and cultural experience in one of the most vibrant destinations in London. First Thursdays will also present special events and free exhibition previews together with free specially crated tours. First Thursdays is organised by Whitechapel and Parasol Unit and other participating galleries include: Ancient & Modern, Barbican Art Gallery, Bloomberg Space, Chisenhale, The Drawing Room, Hauser & Wirth Coppermill, Herald Street, Hotel, Kate MacGarry, Matt’s Gallery, Museum in Docklands, Museum of London, Victoria Miro, and Vilma Gold.
A dedicated website will launch soon at 
On 22nd May HM The Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh will open the new Peter Harrison Planetarium, Weller Astronomy Galleries and Lloyds Register Educational Trust Learning Centre at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich in Greenwich Park. The new planetarium will use an Evans & Sutherland Digistar 3 digital laser projector laser and shows will be presented by ROG astronomy staff. The exhibition area will introduce the 'tools' of astronomy and the learning centre will offer National Curriculum science subjects. Admission to the Planetarium will cost £6 for adults and £4 for concessions. There will be no charge for the exhibition and a new cafe facility will be provided.
The area from London Bridge to just past Tower Bridge offers top visitor attractions, bars and restaurants on both sides of the Thames, along with some of the most iconic and historic buildings in London. Designated a Business Improvement District (BID), the heart of this area is managed and promoted by the London Bridge BID Company - a legacy organisation of the highly successful Pool of London Partnership (PLP).
To help maintain the area’s status as a world-class visitor destination the London Bridge BID Company will be launching a new website 
While the entire Pool of London district will be promoted by the London Bridge BID Company, the name ‘Pool of London’ itself will be phased out in terms of destination marketing in favour of London Bridge/Tower Bridge, capitalising on a greater awareness among visitors to London. This means that the new organisation will continue where the PLP left off; providing a specialised service to both visitors and the local tourism industry
Well over 100 people flocked to Powerleague in Catford, Lewisham on 28th February to attend the event put on by Lewisham’s Tourism and Town Centre Management Team in partnership with VisitBritain (Quality in Tourism Rose scheme) and Visit London (AA scheme), together with many other local advisory businesses and existing B&Bs who were on hand to give advice.
The Spitz is threatened with closure after receiving six months notice to quit its current site in Old Spitalfields Market by its landlords Ballymore Properties. This means in a worst case scenario The Spitz would cease to exist by the end of September this year. 
threatened closure is that The Spitz venue has its strongest ever music programme with the current sell out Spitz Festival of Blues and two more festivals planned for August (Spitz Festival of Country) and September (The Spitz Festival of Folk) with numerous other one off promotions. The Spitz Gallery also has a very strong programme including the forthcoming Chernobyl exhibition by Magnum photographer Paul Fusco called” Twenty One Years of Fall Out”. 
William Morris was a designer, craftsman, poet, novelist, printer and socialist campaigner. He was born in Elm House, now the William Morris Gallery, a handsome Georgian country house standing in fine public gardens. The gallery is a cultural haven in Walthamstow, once a tract of rural Essex, now a crowded London suburb just a short tube ride from King's Cross. The gallery is a treasure chest of universally acclaimed, Morris-designed (and Morris-inspired) arts-and-crafts gems. Children like the magical quality of the house itself, with most having experienced nothing like it before; a world of beautifully crafted romance. The rest of Walthamstow is virtually bereft of such special moments. 
The