West Dorset To Get Olympic 'Look & Feel'

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Events are coming to Dorset and the county is getting dressed up for the occasion!

As part of local preparations for the Games, dressing items known as the 'Look & Feel' will be installed from the 18th June onwards, ready for the Torch Relay arrival on the 12th July and the opening of the Games on the 27th July.

Installation will take place in three phases over a period of about 4 weeks; crews will install the 'Look & Feel' items overnight so as to minimise any disruption.

Phase 1 of the installation will focus on lampposts, flags and banners along the seafront and Esplanade, phase 2 on other items throughout the borough, and phase 3 on the Park & Ride areas. The 'Look & Feel' will also incorporate creative dressing ideas that will compliment the standard look and provide a memorable and fun element for visitors.

Funded through central government, areas around Weymouth & Portland will be decked with banners, flags, bunting, flowers, and other display materials as the borough finally takes on the appearance of its status as a host venue for the London 2012 sailing events.

Consistent with the 'Look & Feel' at all other London 2012 locations throughout the UK, areas across Weymouth & Portland and extending out as far as Dorchester, will be dressed at key locations including along the Esplanade, Weymouth train station, park & ride sites, key road junctions, the Harbour area, Brewers Quay, Radipole Lake, The Nothe, Olympic Village on Portland and up to Easton.

The Olympic 'Look & Feel' depicting the Olympic Rings will be displayed from 27th July - 12th August. The dressing will then be changed for the Paralympic Games (31 August – 6 September) when the displays will carry the Paralympic logo known as the Agitos.

Angus Campbell Chairman of the Dorset Olympic Board said:

"It's been a truly collaborative effort planning the location and installation of the various Look & Feel elements, but this is one of the final preparations that really does announce the arrival of the Games here in Dorset. Having such a spectacular array of colour for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is exhilarating and inspirational and I'm sure that both visitors and locals will feel a real sense of the excitement and anticipation of being in a remarkable Olympic venue."