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Greenwich will be first London borough to see Olympic Torch Relay

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THE LONDON 2012 Olympic Flame will arrive in Greenwich on July 21st next year, it has been revealed.

The Torch Relay will start the London leg of its journey at the Prime Meridian in Greenwich and spend the rest of the day snaking round the other Host Boroughs – Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest, where there will be an evening celebration.

The torch will go on to visit the rest of London’s boroughs before arriving at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony on July 27th.

Councillor John Fahy, Greenwich Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Olympics, said: “Greenwich is delighted to be the first London Borough to witness the fantastic spectacle of the Olympic Torch Relay. It will provide a unique chance for Greenwich residents to share in the excitement of the Olympic spirit – to mark the countdown to the start of the 2012 Games.”

Although Greenwich will be the first Host Borough to see the Olympic Torch Relay in action, the flame will arrive in London the preceding evening and be kept overnight at the Tower of London, leaving Greenwich and Tower Hamlets councils both staking a claim for the bragging rights.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said: “It’s fantastic that Tower Hamlets’ residents will be the first in the capital to celebrate the arrival of the torch in London. It gives everybody in the borough the chance to get involved in the excitement surrounding London 2012. ”

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “We are thrilled to confirm that Greenwich will act as a host location for the Olympic Flame on 21st July, extending an invitation to people across the Borough to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK.”

Comments

  1. Slightly confused by this (as ell as indifferent). Does this mean the torch relay approaches London from Kent. Otherwise the torch will presumably pass through other boroughs to get here.

  2. The Torch Relay will finish in Guildford on July 20th. Somehow they will get the flame itself to the Tower of London where it will spend the night, and then they will bring it to Greenwich on July 21st (not sure how but by river sounds a good bet) where the next stage of the Torch Relay will begin.

  3. I have just seen this on the iGoogle/BBC News page.

    1. iGoogle seems to think Greenwich is in South WEST London. Have we been moved overnight?

    2. Trinity Laban is mentioned as Lewisham. Are they building another one or do they really mean Deptford? (I know Deptford comes under Lewisham Council, but they could have clarified that)

    In light of point 2, doesn’t that mean we get it twice? 21st and 23rd July?

    I hope they don’t try to take it through the Foot tunnel or, indeed the Blackwall tunnel……..wonder what the rules on naked flames on the DLR are?

  4. BBC London has a deeply irritating habit of only ever referring to areas of the capital by borough, especially on its website. So yes, in this case, “Lewisham” actually means “Deptford”.

  6. Lions, tigers and bears, Oh, my……….Lions, tigers and bears. oh. my……..(repeat as skipping down Yellow Brick Road or Trafalgar Road to us mere mortals…….. )

  7. Not clear yet whether the torch will circulate the Borough on Day 64 or whether it will go straight back across the river after an appearance in Greenwich Town Centre.

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