WALTHAM FOREST: Olympic campsites deals expected 'soon' (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAM FOREST: Olympic campsites deals expected 'soon'

8:59am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Waltham Forest News By Daniel Binns

Ive Farm in Leyton

A COMPANY director has said plans for temporary Olympic campsites at Ive Farm in Leyton and Sir George Monoux College in Walthamstow have nearly been finalised.

The Guardian revealed this week how the 'London Camping Company' was taking bookings for the two sites on its website before residents had even been informed of the proposals.

Now the firm's boss, Noel Doyle, has told the Guardian that neither contract has been signed but he expects them to be completed within weeks if not days.

The council, which owns Ive Farm, has failed to comment on the issue, while the college said it is "exploring" various options.

But Mr Doyle said the campsites had been planned for some months but the council did not want to let residents know about them until a planned official announcement later this month - after the contracts are due to be signed.

He said: "It was a genuine mistake that the website went live. We were expecting everything to be sorted by now. But we haven't had any bookings yet or started promoting it.

"We're still talking with George Monoux College but the idea for that site was just camping with refreshments. It will be similar at Ive Farm although a bit bigger, we think it'll have a capacity of around 2,000."

The news comes in the wake of outrage at a council deal to lease Low Hall Sports Ground in Walthamstow for use as a campsite, without consultation with residents.

Neighbours are particularly concerned about proposed live entertainment and bars at the site, which will hold around 5,000 campers.

Mr Doyle, who also runs the Touch of Class Marquees firm, was keen to distance his company from such plans.

He said: "It won't be anything like what's planned at Low Hall. We're not having any entertainment like they want, it will just be catering.

"I know the residents will be concerned if they have another festival on their back doorsteps but we've no plans for anything like that."

Mr Doyle also said the council told him it was planning on reinvesting some of the money from the deal to renovate facilities at Ive Farm's derelict athletics track.

The council previously said it signed the Low Hall contract to help pay the bill for its 'Big 6' events to celebrate the Olympics, which could end up costing it more than £1.5million.

But the authority said it was also due to sign another contract to meet the costs, and it is thought that money from this new apparently imminent campsite deal may also contribute.

A spokeswoman for Sir George Monoux College previously said: "We are investigating opportunities to become involved in the Games, but would like to reassure local residents that any contract we enter into will be well thought out to ensure it has minimal impact on the local community."

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