A CITYWIDE plan aims to help Glasgow businesses in the run up to the 2014 Games.

 

As part of the Get Ready Glasgow campaign, developed by the city council and Glasgow 2014 in partnership with Police Scotland and the Chamber of Commerce, a launch event has been organised for next month.

The campaign aims to keep the daily life of the city functioning in the lead up to and during the Commonwealth Games.

As all the Games venues are now complete, the council's focus has turned to ensuring the city continues to operate as close to normal.

The event, in the Old Fruitmarket on Monday November 11, is part of Glasgow for Business week.

It will feature representatives from various Games related organisations, including Police Scotland, Glasgow Life, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Glasgow 2014 and the city council.

As part of Get Ready Glasgow, a new website has been created - www. getreadyglasgow.com -which will have the most up-to-date Games information, timetables and dates.

A Get Ready Glasgow telephone inquiry line will be in operation from November 11.

Communication with city residents will gain momentum at the beginning of next year.

Planning teams have been set up in key areas to oversee the impact of the events at the various Games venues and on the surrounding areas.

The council warns the services it provides to businesses and residents may be affected.

A council spokesman said: "For example, ensuring the city's transport network supports the needs of the Games, while keeping the city moving, is a huge and complex task requiring several stages of planning, modelling and design."

Glasgow 2014 is presently looking at how spectators getting to and from competition venues will impact on the city's transport network and is drawing up local traffic management and parking plans.

Glasgow Licensing Board is consulting on policy plans which includes a question on how the sale of alcohol should be regulated during the Games.

Individuals, businesses or organisations hoping to hold street parties, extend trading hours, run mobile vending vans or hold some other kind of special event during the Games may require a licence.

Regulations which will restrict certain types of advertising and street trading near Games sites is expected to be published in the near future by the Scottish Government.

Council leader Gordon Matheson said: "The purpose of Get Ready Glasgow is to ensure business and residents have the information they need to go about their daily business during the Games.

"If we start to talk now about some of the things that may change in the lead up to and during the Games, people, particularly businesses, can begin to think about how they may need to adapt their operations - for example, to tailor or expand their business to maximise the benefit of having thousands of visitors in the city.

"The Games will change the way the city runs for a period of time next year but we want to keep the city running as close to normal as possible, and we want to make sure people can also enjoy and feel proud of having the Games in their city."

David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014, said: "Business support will be crucial to making the Games a success.

"By working together we can secure lasting benefits for communities."

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "We have had many enquiries from businesses about the practical matters involved for the wider business community immediately before and during the Games."

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen, who is security director for the Games, said: "We are committed to delivering a safe, secure and peaceful event and to supporting people as they go about their day-to-day business in the city.

"We could encourage businesses to think about how the Games might impact on them and take a look at the Get Glasgow Ready website for more information and advice on how to manage this."

vivienne.nicoll@eveningtimes.co.uk