Scots firms lagging on Olympic opportunities

FEARS that businesses in Scotland could fail to capitalise on the London Olympics were raised yesterday when a survey suggested that more than half of Scottish companies admit they are behind in their preparations for the event.

A UK wide survey by the business advisory firm Deloitte found that 53 per cent of firms in Scotland said they were behind schedule compared with 38 per cent in the rest of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The survey found that they were behind despite 96 per cent of Scottish firms intending to assess the challenges and opportunities presented by the 2012 games.

David Bell, lead partner for London 2012 at Deloitte Scotland, said: "There seems to be a misconception among businesses in Scotland that because the 2012 Games are being held in London, the risks and opportunities for businessess up here are negligible. This is far from the case.

"Not only should businesses north of the Border be looking at London 2012 as a dry run for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, there are many logistical considersations that need to be taken into account to ensure businesses are not negatively affected by London 2012."

He added: "Business owners need to speak to staff, customers, and suppliers to assess the impact London 2012 may have on their business and ensure they have the right measures in place to capitalise on the event."