Greenwich.co.uk

Greenwich news and information

Federer takes ATP World Tour glory at O2

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O2 Tennis

ROGER Federer beat Rafael Nadal to take the ATP World Tour Finals title at the O2 arena last night.

The world number two beat his younger arch-rival 6-3 3-6 6-1 in the match which lasted just over an hour and a half.

A jaded looking Nadal was unable to offer up much resistance in the final set, perhaps not surprising since he had defeated Andy Murray in a thrilling three hour duel just 24 hours earlier – probably the match of the tournament.

Spanish and Swiss flags were held aloft and shouts of “We love you Roger!” and “Vamos Rafa!” could be heard around the packed arena.

Federer said after the match that “beating Rafa in the finals makes it extra special because of the year he had.” His  undefeated run through the year-end championships scoops Federer prize money of $1,630,000.

Earlier in the afternoon, Daniel Nestor & Nenad Zimonjic were crowned doubles champions.

This was the second time that the year’s top eight players have assembled at the O2 for the World Tour Finals, with the event due to remain in Greenwich for at least the next three years. Next year’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals begin November 20th 2011.

If the tennis has inspired you to pick up a racquet, check out our guide to tennis courts in Greenwich.

The courts in Chesterfield Walk and Eltham Park South are my personal favourites, although as the Kidbrooke Kite notes, not all parts of the borough have such great facilities.

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 2010 at the O2

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The world’s best tennis players return to Greenwich this November as the O2 arena stages the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for a second time.

The tournament pits the top eight men from the last year against each other in an exciting ’round robin’ format. The Finals run from November 21st through to November 28th, with an afternoon and evening session each day. As well as the singles competition, there’s also doubles action every day too.

Last year, the cool-as-a-cucumber Russian, Nikolay Davydenko, took the spoils but he’s unlikely to be a contender this year.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE FOR THE BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS 2010

I went along last year and had a great time – there was a great sense of razzmatazz, probably a world away from the more formal approach at the Wimbledon’s All England Club, and even from the cheap seats high in the rafters of the O2, it was possible to get a decent view of the play.

o2 tennis

o2 tennis

BUY TICKETS ONLINE FOR THE BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS 2010

If you need accommodation for your stay, visit our hotels in Greenwich page.

London Mini Golf at the O2

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Fans of mini golf can play an 18 hole course at the O2 until the end of September.

The fun indoor test of your putting skills has been positioned at various London locations over the last four years, and has now come to the O2 in North Greenwich for the first time.

Younger putters can play the Junior course which consists of just 9 holes.

London Mini Golf is open from noon til 7pm every day until September 5th.

Roller Disco 2010 at the O2

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Roller Disco 2010 runs at the O2 arena in North Greenwich until the end of August.

The impressive roller skating rink is the biggest in London, allowing 350 skaters to dance on wheels to the sounds of the latest music from the charts as well as classic disco numbers.

The Roller Disco is great for a family day out, or for making it a night to remember, as Shalamar might have put it.

Daily Opening Times

Monday to Thursday: 12pm – 8pm
Friday: 12pm – 11pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 11pm

Planning permission sought for new 450 bedroom hotel on Greenwich Peninsula

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Ansco Hotel

A planning application has been lodged with Greenwich Council for the construction of a 452 bedroom hotel next to the O2 arena.

The large development, on what is known as plot NO301, would also include a separate 22-storey tower comprising of 100 serviced apartments, a ballroom & events space and a health spa.

The Evening Standard quotes David Campbell, of AEG Europe, as saying: “The O2 has already created more than 2,500 direct jobs in Greenwich. However, the real economic prize for Greenwich and east London is adding overnight visitors.”

At present the nearest hotels to the O2 – recently named as the in ticket sales – are the Express by Holiday Inn and the Pilot Inn guest house.

The planning application and association documents can be seen in full at the Greenwich Council website.

Related link: Greenwich Hotels

Peter Pan at the O2, Greenwich

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JM Barrie’s magical story of Peter Pan arrived at the O2 today with a critically acclaimed production in Meridian Gardens.

The show was big success when staged in Kensington Gardens earlier this year, and now you can see it at the O2 on the Greenwich Peninsula until the 10th January 2010.

Performed “in the round” in a specially commissioned, state-of-the-art 1300 seat theatre-tent, the production includes a breathtaking 360-degree projected scenic design.

Jonathan Hyde takes on the role of Captain Hook, Ciaran Kellgren is Peter Pan and Abby Ford appears as Wendy.

Tickets for the production are available now from Ticketmaster.co.uk

JLS at the O2, Greenwich in December 2010

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Successful boyband, JLS, have announced a new arena tour for December 2010, which will include a visit to the O2 arena in North Greenwich.

The male vocal harmony group have enjoyed enormous success since they were the runners up in 2008’s X-Factor with number one hit singles “Breathe Again” and “Everybody In Love”

The group said in a statement on their website, “It’s every singers dream to play venues like the O2, Wembley and Manchester’s MEN arena to such huge audiences! It’s going to be a spectacular and we can’t wait for all our supporters to see the show!!”

It will be something of a homecoming for band member Marvin Humes, who originally hails from Herbert Road, Woolwich.

Order tickets online from Ticketmaster.

Greenwich.co.uk Goes Behind The Scenes of Got To Dance

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got to dance logo

Greenwich.co.uk went backstage at the auditions of Sky1’s new ‘Got to Dance’ programme at the O2 in North Greenwich to find out the reality of reality TV.

The formula of the TV talent contest is now permanently engrained in popular culture. 1. Enlist celebrity judges. 2. Find a few-hundred exhibitionist members of the public (talent not compulsory). 3. Get said judges to embarrass said public; and the recent addition of 4. make them go through it all in front of a studio audience at the O2 in North Greenwich. But, when you get behind the scenes, is it really all as trivial and cruel as it seems?

Last weekend it was Sky 1’s turn to visit the peninsula with ‘Got to Dance’ where the focus is on finding, well, dancers. West-End star Adam Garcia, Pussycat Doll Kimberley Wyatt and Diversity dancer Ashley Banjo make up the judging panel and the contestants are guided through it all by Reality TV queen Davina McCall and her unlimited provision of hugs. Troupes of street dancers, the odd tap group, pole dancers and a creepily accurate Michael Jackson impersonator parade out in front of the judges, have 90 seconds to give it ‘their all’ before being routinely dismissed back into obscurity.

It sounds rather callous, doesn’t it? But when the barrier of the TV is removed, it’s not actually the superficial farce I expected. As an audience member you genuinely root for the performers, even booing the judges when they send acts home. You have to admire both their guts and their physical capability – one girl held herself upside down on a pole by her thighs and still didn’t get through. I didn’t witness anyone cry or talk about their dead relatives and the contestants are welcomed with a nice holding area, catering facilities and smiling crewmembers. At one point they even paused filming for a young lady who felt a bit queasy. We all applauded when she got back up and had another go.

Kimberley Wyatt was probably the toughest judge to please, voting against all the acts I saw. In her words it’s because “the standard is so high, you have to be perfect; beyond perfect” (only 18 will make it through to the live shows, from hundreds who audition). Remarkably, though, this was as harsh as it got and all three stars made a tireless effort to give constructive remarks to the contestants. Adam Garcia even got on stage to hug a particularly bold octogenarian fan, in turn receiving a Davina-hug himself for being such a good egg, before embarking on his own tap dance routine to rapturous applause. Granted it’s all very odd but dare I say it’s also rather heart warming. Adam’s clearly enthusiastic about this project; he says it’s “all about representing what loads of people are really doing out there. It doesn’t always matter how good it is”. Just as well, really – they only put through 1 of the 8 acts I saw. Tentatively.

Of course this is ultimately neither a high brow nor an altruistic endeavour. My two neighbours and I took delight in forming our own little judging panel and we were much harsher than the real judges. At one point I think I even said “their pirouettes just weren’t tight enough, they can’t cut it”. After all I am a choreography expert – must be those aerobics classes I took in 2002. Worst of all I couldn’t help making little bets with myself about who was going to trip over first.

It’s our voyeuristic instinct that these shows tap into and it’s the reason they have become the phenomenon they have. Although I feel slightly better for knowing that the auditions aren’t always as cutthroat as they look, I’m still anxious to know who’s going be kicked out first when it comes to the live shows. So after all that it’s not really the programme that’s cruel, it’s just me…

*Got to Dance will be shown on Sky 1 from January. You can join in the fun yourself at the Dance Flash Mob in London on 21 November. Keep an eye on their website to find out where to go and how to dance!