TourEast London |
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September 2007 |
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Inside This Issue... London Development Agency East London Tourism Update Canary Wharf Population Exceeds 90,000 Celebrating 20 years of Docklands Light Railway New Newham - Opportunities for Creative Businesses and Cultural Organisations London City Airport Submits New Planning Application Updates from Lewisham including Draft Lewisham Regeneration Strategy and B&B Workshop Cutty Sark Restoration Resumes in September Despite £16 million Funding Shortage |
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 East London Showcase, a focus on Eurostar which moves to St Pancras International in November and an update on The O2 which opened in July. The next edition of this newsletter will be published in January 2008. Please send us any interesting news by 11th January 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'Discover Another Side of London' East London Showcase
The 4 day event took place from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th August 2007 at Greenwich Tourist Information Centre (TIC) and the Old Royal Naval College (ORNC) Visitor Centre in the heart of Maritime Greenwich. Web statistics show that the www.VisitEastLondon.co.uk website currently receives over 500,000 hits and over 14,000 unique users each month (a unique user is, for a specified period of time such as a day or month, an individual that has visited a website) 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. Furthermore, users from 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. 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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London Development Agency East London Tourism Update For more information contact Deborah Evans at the LDA: deborahevans@lda.gov.uk 2. LDA Publishes London Overseas Visitor Survey For more information contact Peter Haxton at the LDA: For more details about how the LDA develops and supports the visitor economy in east London and can assist your business contact Niall Brolly at the LDA: niallbrolly@lda.gov.uk |
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The O2 is Alive
Not forgetting performances in IndigO2 bringing diverse acts such as Jools Holland, Timbaland, Joss Stone and Natalie Cole who thrive in such close quarters with their audience. Even if you don't have tickets to a specific event at The O2, There is plenty to keep you entertained! Cinema Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of The Pharaohs Organised by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, and sponsored by Credit Suisse, 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' will be the first exhibition to take place in The O2’s 6500m2 exhibition centre, The O2 Bubble. Some of the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb were last displayed in the UK in 1972 and attracted some 1.7 million visitors, setting travelling exhibition attendance records. The British Museum hosted the previous Tutankhamun exhibition and will once again participate in the new display, which will be housed in 11 different experiential galleries. Unique to the London exhibition will be a dedicated gallery to Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb. For further information on exhibition ticket prices, restaurants and bars, the music and sports event schedule and travel information, visit www.Theo2.co.uk |
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Moreover, GLA and DCLG forecasts also suggest a working population of 180,000 at Canary Wharf and 220,000 on the Isle of Dogs by 2025. This would include Wood Wharf, Millennium Quarter and the redevelopment of Billingsgate Market.
The majority of visitors to Canary Wharf belong to the ‘Urban Prosperity’ lifestyle category (49%) - defined as young, urban, fashion / brand conscious consumers, with high-levels of disposable income. Canary Wharf retail also has a young age profile, with 75% of visitors between 18 and 44 and 33% between 25 – 34.*
* Based on a CACI Information Solutions survey to identify and better understand the consumer groups using Canary Wharf retail and catering. For further information please visit www.canarywharf.com |
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Celebrating 20 Years of Docklands Light RailwaySince opening in 1987, DLR has become one of UK transport's indisputable success stories.
DLR's accomplishments have been underpinned by a specific commitment to local regeneration and sustainability. The railways's extensions have been a major contributor to the ongoing renaissance of east London. Serco Docklands have proved instrumental in the success; since becoming the DLR operator in 1997 the railway's punctuality and dependability has increased significantly and now rates as the best in mainland UK.
Meanwhile DLR will play a critical role in the success of the 2012 Games as it will directly serve the Olympic Park and several competition venues. For further information please visit www.dlr.co.uk |
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New Newham - Opportunities for Creative Businesses and Cultural Organisations
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London City Airport Submits New Planning Application The planning application is for an increase in flight movements to 120,000 from the current level of 80,000, with London City Airport forecasting that it will handle up to 3.9 million passengers by 2010. The proposed increase in movements will not change any of the opening hours of the airport, and there are no plans to introduce night flights at London City Airport. London City Airport has a programme in place to sound-insulate any properties materially affected by noise, which is triggered at a lower noise level than at any other airport in the UK. The airport will continue its commitment to sound insulation of the homes of local residents at this low trigger level and monitor noise closely.
For further information visit the corporate website www.londoncityairport.com |
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The Spitz's brave and adventurous music programme can be challenging to support financially. It operates with no official funding and survives by the revenue generated in the venue and restaurant. Your financial support is absolutely essential to help secure the future of The Spitz. Please go to www.spitz.co.uk to make a donation and help The Spitz to find a new home and to continue to make an outstanding contribution to London's live music scene and cultural reputation. Support The Spitz! |
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Planning for a Quick GetawayFor many travellers, reconciling wanderlust with a lack of time for planning a trip far in advance usually adds up to big bills. But thanks mostly to increased broadband usage, time-constrained consumers are embracing the concept of last-minute travel, with both leisure and business travellers booking trips - mostly on the Internet - at the 11th hour. Travel specialists say there has been a proliferation of websites offering options on last-minute travel. Many believe that the airlines started the trend several years ago by offering weekend deals that were e-mailed to subscribers early in the week for travel that weekend. Helping the trend along has been the growing penchant for shorter vacations. Now, even mainstream travel sites like Orbitz and Travelocity offer search options for last-minute travel. Get the full story at The International Herald Tribune |
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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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The East London Showcase managed by TourEast London and funded and supported by the London Development Agency (LDA) aimed to generate awareness of and interest in our diverse east London products amongst key target local, domestic and overseas markets. 
The Greenwich location allowed visitors to experience the event in the heart of east London and visitors closely matched the target markets for the broad range of attractions and information on offer. There were plenty of activities, with walks to various east London locations proving most popular. Thank you to the 24 east London tourism partners who participated in the event and offered prizes. 
FOCUS: Eurostar 
From 14th November 2007, Eurostar operates on High Speed 1 - the UK’s first-high speed line - from the fabulously restored St Pancras International station, our new London terminal.
From 19th November 2007, Eurostar services also call at Ebbsfleet International, a new station just off junction 2 of the M25, close to Bluewater shopping centre and ideally placed to serve east London. Journey times to the continent are 10 minutes quicker than from St Pancras. Eurostar has up to 2500 parking spaces, and our passengers can also travel free to and from Ebbsfleet on Southeastern trains and Fastrack local bus services.
Eurostar wants to be part of the local community and with a new train maintenance depot at Temple Mills near Stratford, the Eurostar team are working with Railschool to support educational opportunities for 14 – 19 year olds across Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney.
1. LDA launches 4 year £1.65 million Business Support Programme 
The O2 has had a phenomenal first season since it opened its doors on Sunday 25th June 2007, bringing acts such as Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Barbara Streisand, Scissor Sisters and Prince to the 20,000 capacity arena.
The 11 screen multiplex cinema is magnificent. The giant main auditorium seats up to 770 movie fans and has the biggest screen in London. It is here that The O2 hosted Simpsons The Movie Premiere and rolled out the ‘yellow carpet’ to a number of celebrities.
Tickets to one of the most anticipated exhibitions of the year are available for public purchase on Wednesday 12th September. More than 180,000 tickets already have been reserved for the exhibition, which will be on display at The O2 from 15th November 2007 to 30 August 2008.
The working population of Canary Wharf is now in excess of 90,000 people and is expected to rise to over 100,000 by 2010 and 120,000 by 2012. This compares to a population of just 6,000, when the site first opened in 1987.
The current mix of companies based at the Wharf includes financial services, law, business services, corporate HQs, public sector, media, IT, insurance and retail, with KPMG, State Street, Bear Stearns and Fitch, all taking up new HQ buildings by 2010. 
Commenting on the expansion of Canary Wharf, Howard Dawber, Strategic Advisor for Canary Wharf Plc, said, "The vision of Canary Wharf is now a reality. Leading international companies enjoy the highest quality buildings, infrastructure and facilities, within London’s newest business district, and we still expect to double in size in the next 20 years. The wharf now offers a wide range of shops, restaurants, pubs and wine bars, as well as healthcare and leisure facilities and a thriving arts and events programme."
During the past two decades, DLR has grown from an 11-vehicle fleet serving 15 stations to an award-winning operation with 94 vehicles and 38 stations. DLR's network has successfully extended to Bank, Beckton, Lewisham and London City Airport. Passenger numbers have grown impressively and recently surpassed 60 million for the first time.
Further DLR extensions to Woolwich Arsenal and Stratford International are underway and due to open in 2009 and 2010 respectively, while capacity will be increased by 50% on all trains when an extra carriage is added in 2009/2010. The £180 million, 2.5km Woolwich extension will link Woolwich, south of the river, to King George V DLR station, just one stop from London City Airport.
Have you considered what effect the regeneration of Newham could have on your creative business or cultural organisation? 
London City Airport has submitted a planning application to enable the growth of the airport up to 2010. Following the Government’s Aviation White Paper1 which requires airports to make most use of existing runways, and the publication of London City Airport’s Master Plan2 in 2006, this application seeks to deliver the next phase of the airport’s development. 
The introduction of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to London City Airport has seen almost eighty per cent of passengers use public transport. Currently some 2,000 local jobs are supported by the airport’s activity, this would increase by around 1,000 should the application be approved. The airport has a commitment to recruiting local talent, with over seventy per cent of all employees in 2006 living within a five-mile radius
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. 
This means that unless The Spitz can find a new home there will be no more Spitz Festivals of Folk, Country or Blues or any other genre; no more independent music promotion by a venue not driven by profit alone; no more socially aware photography in The Spitz gallery and The Spitz will cease to be the cultural hub of the Spitalfields community. That is unless The Spitz can raise the funds to find a new venue
The draft 
The Cutty Sark Conservation Project will resume in September 2007, following the major set back of 21st May 2007 when a fire broke out on the ship. Although the images beamed around the world suggested that the world’s most famous tea clipper was destroyed, only 5% of the original fabric of the maritime icon was actually lost. 
The Cutty Sark Trust had raised nearly £19m towards a £25m restoration of the ship, with the help of over £13m funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Cutty Sark was due to reopen to the public in November 2008, however, following the blaze additional funding will now be needed as well as an extra year to complete the project. Currently the shortfall stands at £16m.
TourEast London would like to welcome Eurostar.