SUFFOLK has beaten regional rival Norfolk in the race for Olympics-related business by netting nearly �8million. But the county lags behind other competitors for London 2012 contracts, with Cambridgeshire winning �13.7m, Hertfordshire �57m and Bedfordshire �6.9m.
Suffolk secured more than �7.9m through the Olympics brokering website www.competefor.com, while Norfolk got around �230,000.
Among the county’s beneficiaries are Rendlesham-based film production firm Bruizer and Suffolk County Council’s travel operation.
The county council would not disclose how much the contract was worth but confirmed they will transport athletes, officials and the media during the games.
Tim Wright, company director of Bruizer, said the firm’s Olympics-related filming work has netted them in the region of �500,000 since 2008.
He added: “If it wasn’t for CompeteFor we would not be working with the Olympics.
“I would say the Olympics has contributed a lot to London but also to the regions.
“LOCOG (The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) has been very good at sourcing people out of London.
“But sometimes it’s about capitalising on where we are and about offering something unique and something people in London cannot provide.”
CompeteFor, which has netted Suffolk businesses 29 contracts in all, is an online procurement portal funded by regional development agencies.
Will Pope, chairman of the East of England Development Agency, said: “It’s pleasing to see that our investment in CompeteFor has provided businesses in the region with the opportunities to win contracts.
“We’re also urging every business in East Anglia to still register for CompeteFor as there are still a large number of Olympic contracts still up for tender, many of much are worth millions of pounds.”
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