Media centre cuts could see ‘bad press for 2012’

OLYMPICS chiefs may cut costs at the planned 2012 media centre by moving catering for 20,000 journalists into a giant tent.

Dozens of bars and restaurants originally planned for the press and broadcast centre in the west of the Olympic Park are to be scrapped to save costs.

The £380 million media centre in Hackney Wick has been one of the hardest hit of the 2012 venues, as private developer Carillion Igloo struggles to raise its half share of the cost.

But one MP warned that the move to a temporary catering facility for the world's media may backfire.

Tory MP Philip Davies, a member of the culture, media and sport select committee, said: "This may prove counter-productive. The Olympics is going to cost a fortune with or without the media centre, and you have to think about the risk of every visiting journalist slagging it off."

Poor media facilities meant that the shortcomings of the 1996 Atlanta Games - considered one of the poorest in recent memory - were magnified by disgruntled reporters.

The Olympic Delivery Authority is under pressure to reduce costs before construction of the media centre begins next spring.

ODA bosses have drastically scaled down the centre in Hackney Wick which was to have eight giant sheds near the Royal Festival Hall.