London 2012 Paralympics: Pubs hopeful of trading boost

The games will run from 29 August to 9 September, and Janet Dooner, of the Railway Tavern in Stratford, said that she is already expecting a lot of custom on the night of the opening ceremony.

She said: “I’m expecting trade to be similar to the Olympics, but not as much. I’ve received an email from a man asking about what time we’re open until on the opening ceremony night and how many people we can accommodate, so I think we’ll have quite a few people in then.

“On the night before the closing ceremony, we’re holding a Paralympics function that ties in with the last night of the Proms.

“So it’s going to be an extra patriotic evening.”

Young’s Geronimo brand, which has 34 pubs in London, is looking forward to more people being around the City as they go back to work. The company runs two sites in the Stratford Westfield shopping centre.

Commercial director Ed Turner said: “Sales have been good for our Westfield sites, and we’re hoping people will enjoy the Paralympics too. The other sites across London will see less impact. People will be going back to work, so everyone will be able to enjoy the atmosphere and watch the games in a pub. People are not going to be scared away by the traffic or travel stories.”

Nigel Wright, chief operating officer of managed pub and bar group TCG, added: “It’s not clear how much of an event the Paralympics will be for the on-trade. Where there’s local interest, such as an athlete from the area competing, there will be an opportunity for outlets to bring supporters together to watch.

“More generally, we will be encouraging our managers to make the most of the games. As with the Olympics, interest is likely to increase as the Paralympics progress, and events where there are opportunities for team GB to win medals will drive customer interest.

“In central London, there’s also the same potential downside, if fears about overcrowding and congestion keep people away from pubs and restaurants.”