You should have seen it coming, Olympics minister tells empty shops

Games organizers and London authorities have spent months warning that the Olympics will severely disrupt life in the capital, urging residents to plan alternative routes around the City and make other changes in their day-to-day lives.

Much of the anticipated disruption has not occurred, and figures suggest that central London has been much quieter than normal since the Games began.

Next, a major retailer, said today that its 23 shops in London had been "adversely affected" by the Games. Experian, a research firm, estimates that visitor numbers in central London shops are down more than 10 per cent.

The Association of Leading Visitor Attraction estimates that numbers at major tourist venues are down more than 30 per cent.

Paul Deighton, Locog’s chief executive, admitted there was short-term impact on trade in the capital, but said that visitor numbers in London are “leveling off in a very satisfactory way”.

In the longer term, he said, the Games will deliver a “huge economic boost” to London, he told a press conference in the Olympic Park.

However, Mr Deighton appeared to accept that the warning messages had some unforeseen consequences. “Sometimes you are victims of your own success, “ he said.

As Mr Deighton was sharing a platform with Lord Coe, the Locog chairman. As he spoke, Lord Coe laughed loudly and mocked a question from a BBC London reporter, saying: “Shock horror – messaging too good.”

Asked why he was laughing at questions about the Games’ impact on London businesses, Lord Coe replied: “I was laughing at the idea that our messaging was too successful.”

Locog officials later insisted that Lord Coe had not been laughing at the concerns of businesses, but at the journalists asking questions about those concerns.