BT gets London living it up with BT London Live
BT, the Mayor of London, The Royal Parks and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets today announced that BT is the headline sponsor of BT London Live, a huge celebration of sport, music and other entertainment in Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square this summer as part of the city’s London 2012 celebrations. BT London Live will be free apart from the Opening and Closing Celebration Concerts at Hyde Park.
BT London Live will give around a million people the opportunity to share in London’s electric atmosphere this summer. There will be outdoor screenings of the sporting action, top-flight entertainment every single day of the Games and the opportunity to ‘have a go’ at free sport participation zones. As a result of its sponsorship of London Live, BT customers will have 48-hour priority access for tickets for the special Opening and Closing Celebration Concerts held at Hyde Park on 27 July and 12 August, via www.bt.com/londonlive.
The act for the BT London Live Closing Celebration Concert in Hyde Park will be announced tomorrow, Tuesday 21 February, with further acts to be announced in the coming weeks.
Gavin Patterson, CEO, BT Retail, said, "London 2012 will not just be about sport – it’s also about people experiencing the amazing atmosphere the Games will bring to the capital. Through BT London Live we’ll give close to a million people a fantastic free experience this summer. Priority access is a great way to say thank you to our customers and employees and we’re delighted to offer this starting with the Opening and Closing Ceremony Celebration Concerts. Everyone will remember where they were when British gold medals were won – it’s great that for many people, those memories will be of BT London Live.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said, “We're working with amazing partners to welcome the world to a summer like no other and BT London Live will show the capital at its very best. With live sporting action from the Games and exciting free entertainment there'll be something for tourists and Londoners alike, adding to the unprecedented programme of events we're planning in every part of the city.”
Colin Buttery, Acting Chief Executive for The Royal Parks said: "Hyde Park is set to host the largest BT London Live site and The Royal Parks is looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors from London, the UK and across the world to join in the celebrations. The summer of 2012 is going to be unforgettable and the atmosphere at BT London Live Hyde Park and throughout the capital will be electric. With eleven Olympic and Paralympic Games events taking place across six Royal Parks, including the Triathlon and Marathon Swimming competitions in Hyde Park, The Royal Parks is playing a key role in hosting some very exciting events."
The Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said, “Just a javelin throw from the Olympic Park itself, BT London Live Victoria Park will give Londoners and visitors alike the chance to be at the heart of the excitement of what promises to be a fabulous 17 day period to celebrate London 2012. I know people across London and the UK will want to feel part of the greatest Games on earth and with concerts, sporting activities and big screens all on offer at Victoria Park, there will be no shortage of opportunities to soak up the atmosphere. Tower Hamlets is honoured to play host to such a key event in the 2012 cultural and sporting calendar, and a landmark moment in our nation's history."
More confirmed acts and ticket details for BT London Live will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information see www.btlondonlive.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
The 48 hour priority window for BT customers to buy tickets for the Closing Celebration Concert opens at 9am on Wednesday 22 February.
- BT customers need to logon to www.bt.com/londonlive with their account details to get their own unique password. Only one unique password will be generated for each customer account.
- BT customers can buy a maximum of 6 tickets for each customer account.
- Tickets for the Closing Celebration Concert at Hyde Park go on general sale from 9am on Friday 24 February.
About BT London Live
‘BT London Live’ is a partnership between the Mayor of London, The Royal Parks, and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
As previously announced three iconic open-air locations, Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square will be transformed this summer to offer hundreds of thousands of Londoners and visitors to the city the chance to join in the excitement of the biggest sporting event on the planet – the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
As part of London's commitment to ensuring that as many people as possible have a chance to be involved in the celebrations surrounding the Games, the Mayor of London, The Royal Parks and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have teamed up to create BT London Live. For all of the sporting action days the public can watch outdoor screenings of the London 2012 sporting action and enjoy top flight entertainment for free.
BT London Live is a partnership between the Mayor of London, The Royal Parks and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is a key part of the citywide programme of events being organised to celebrate the London 2012 Games. Throughout the Games, BT London Live is offering plenty of other opportunities for the public to catch London 2012 sporting action live on big screens and enjoy top flight entertainment for free.
As well as giant state of the art screens for crowds to watch live action from the Olympic and Paralympic Games, each location will provide a stunning backdrop for a variety of entertainment and attractions for people of all ages, including live music, outdoor arts and performances, plus opportunities to try out different sports.
Visit www.btlondonlive.com now for full details and to register interest.
Each BT London Live site will offer its own unique experience on the following dates:
BT London Live Hyde Park, July 27 – August 12
BT London Live Hyde Park, one of eight Royal Parks will deliver unparalleled viewing of the Olympic Games via a series of large screens, including the UK’s largest. The live BBC coverage will include the Olympic medal events; with cultural entertainment and live music also on offer. BT London Live in Hyde Park will be free to access between July 28 and August 11. The Opening Ceremony Concert on July 27 and the Closing Ceremony Concert on August 12 will be ticketed but other days will be free to access.
BT London LiveVictoria Park, July 27 – August 12
BT London Live Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets will provide a more intimate viewing experience with a 'sports café' style approach to enjoying the 2012 Olympic Games. Two giant screens will share the park with a series of smaller screens showing BBC live coverage. There will be an emphasis on sports participation with a range of ‘have a go’ sessions at the Victoria Park sports courts, and a series of evening concerts and cultural entertainment will enliven the site. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be broadcast live at London Live Victoria Park from the nearby Olympic Stadium.
BT London Live Trafalgar Square, August 29 – September 9
Once the focus shifts to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, BT London Live will relocate to Trafalgar Square, where a giant screen will show live coverage courtesy of Channel 4 Television. There will also be sporting activity, cultural entertainment and evening concerts.
There are three options for entry into ‘BT London Live’.
- The Opening and Closing Ceremony Celebration Concerts at Hyde Park on July 27 and August 12 will be ticketed. Tickets will be available via btlondonlive.com.
- Walk in on the day – all BT London Live dates except the two Celebration Concerts in Hyde Park will offer free access, with people able to turn up on the day, subject to capacity. Hyde Park and Victoria Park will also offer 'Guaranteed Entry Advanced Tickets ' for access before 2pm – see below.
- Guaranteed Entry Advanced Tickets – up to four tickets per person will be available to be booked in advance for entry in to London Live Hyde Park or London Live Victoria Park before 2pm on a specified day, a transaction fee of £3:50 will apply per booking. Registration via btlondonlive.com will be required for these tickets. These tickets will not be available for the Opening and Closing Ceremony Celebration Concerts and on days that the Triathlon competition takes place – this applies to Hyde Park only. The Triathlon will take place in Hyde Park on Saturday 4 August and Tuesday 7 August.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
The Mayor of London is hosting a huge programme of free events and celebrations to add to the excitement of 2012, including ones especially commissioned for a citywide programme of free events that will add to and complement the London 2012 Festival. BT London Live brings live action from the Games and sporting activities and entertainment to Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square. Other events include Secrets, with artists and performers transforming hidden and lesser known locations and Showtime, an outdoor arts festival in high streets, parks and open spaces around the capital. News and information about these will appear on the website www.molpresents.com. This will also feature events and happenings in the build up to A Summer Like No Other, including the St George's Day and St Patrick's Day celebrations and the Russian Maslenitsa festival. To be the first to know what's happening, sign up or follow us at www.molpresents.com / www.facebook.com/mayoroflondonpresents / www.twitter.com/molpresents.
The Royal Parks, which manages eight Royal Parks including Hyde Park, will play a central role in helping to deliver a successful London 2012 Games. In addition to hosting London Live Hyde Park, the largest BT London Live site, 11 Olympic and Paralympic Games events will take place across six Royal Parks. These events include the Triathlon and Marathon Swimming competitions in Hyde Park, the Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events in Greenwich Park and the Beach Volleyball competition and a range of Road Race events on Horse Guards Parade and The Mall in St James’s Park.
Almost 40 million Londoners and tourists visit the eight Royal Parks each year. The 5,000 acres of historic parkland provide unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of London. The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, The Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and St James's Park. For further information please visit: www.royalparks.org.uk or sign up at www.facebook.com/TheRoyalParksLondon.
London Borough of Tower Hamlets is the heart of the ‘East End’. Rich in history, it presents a vibrant mix of old and new, creating a bustling community unique in culture and character. Taking its name from the Tower of London and the hamlets that surround it, Tower Hamlets covers an area of eight square miles and has a population of around 220,000. It is bounded by the Thames to the South and the boroughs of Newham (east), Hackney (north) and the City of London (west).
As one of the six Olympic host boroughs, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman and the council are looking to maximise the benefits that London 2012 will bring to the borough’s residents. Projects include the £11 million High Street 2012 programme which is rejuvenating the thoroughfare that links the city to the Olympic Park, the promotion of Brick Lane as Curry Capital 2012 to generate tourism and priority access for residents to Olympic jobs. Visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, operating in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March 2011, BT Group’s revenue was £20,076 million with profit before taxation of £1,717 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt
The Mayor of London, The Royal Parks and The London Borough of Tower Hamlets have appointed Live Nation Entertainment as the Event Organiser to deliver BT London Live.