Visitor (im)mobility, leisure consumption and mega-event impact: the territorialisation of Greenwich and small business exclusion at the London 2012 Olympics. Issue 2 (4th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Duignan, M.B.; Pappalepore, I.
• Is Part Of: Leisure studies. Volume 38:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2019-03-04
• Subjects: Tourist mobility -- visitor economy -- business leveraging -- event impacts -- host community -- London 2012 Olympic Games; Leisure -- Periodicals; Recreation -- Periodicals; 306.4805
• DOI: 10.1080/02614367.2019.1572212
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-4367

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Focusing on the London 2012 Olympics, we investigate the impact of mega-sport events' spatial transformations on visitor mobility, local leisure consumption and resulting small business trade. Our case study draws on 43 in-depth interviews with local authorities, governmental and non-governmental project actors, and small-local leisure and visitor economy businesses (retail and hospitality) located at the heart of a 'Host Event Zone' in Greenwich, London. We supplement subjective accounts with a documentary analysis of policy reports, media, and archival material as the basis for our empirical analysis. Our findings reveal a major dichotomy between the 'rhetoric' of inclusion and local 'realities' of exclusion as security planning and spatial controls served to close off public spaces and local attractions: diverting visitor flows and leisure consumption towards official event sites, away from local businesses. We illustrate how such urban processes effectively render a vibrant business community invisible and visitors immobile to explore local community spaces during the live staging periods. We close with implications for event organisers, managers and policymakers focused on re-configuring the socio-spatial elements of Olympic organisation and re-direct and mobilise visitor economy flows towards more open civic and leisure spaces in the hope of better (re)distributing consumption into host communities.