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ON THE BALL: The area has already successfully hosted top class beach volleyball

ORGANISERS of the 2012 Olympics are being urged to drop the "daft" idea of holding beach volleyball in central London and instead bring it to Bournemouth.

A senior councillor wants to find ways of bringing more benefits from the games to the town and neighbour Poole.

His call comes after a warning that the two towns shouldn't expect much extra money from the Olympics, even though the sailing events are taking place nearby in Weymouth and Portland.

Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts, who chairs Bournemouth council's scrutiny panel on the economy, wants Olympic organisers to rethink the decision to hold the volleyball on an artificial beach at London's Horse Guards Parade.

He said: "I think it's daft. The sailing facilities are in Weymouth. Why not Bournemouth for the beach volleyball?"

If the event itself could not be based in Bournemouth, he said the resort could at least host the training camp.

He added: "It's costing them a lot of money just to build a beach and costs are going to be astronomical in London."

Mark Smith, Bournemouth's head of tourism, warned councillors not to expect much economic benefit from the Olympic sailing events being held along the coast.

He joked that with Horse Gaurds Parade hosting the beach volleyball, the trooping of the colour should take place in Bournemouth.

"We supported the bid and we're delighted London got it, but I'm not going to pretend it's going to bring in business for the likes of Bournemouth. We have got to work harder in that year to hold onto business," he told the Bournemouth and Poole economic overview panel.

A London 2012 spokesperson said the International Olympic Committee required a city to host the games and for the venues to be as near to each other as possible.

"Looking closely at the requirements of each sport to be played in 2012, we have found or are building world-class venues for nearly every sport in or very close to London," she said.

"The exceptions are sailing which will take place at Weymouth and Portland and several football events that will take place in stadiums around the UK.

"Many of the London venues will make use of the city's iconic buildings as stunning backdrops and an example of this is Horse Guards Parade where the beach volleyball will be played."

10:20am Thursday 13th March 2008

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