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Barking could become Olympic shooting venue
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent21 Nov 2008
THE 2012 OLYMPIC shooting event may be moved to Barking after the estimated cost of staging the event at Woolwich barracks doubled to £40million.
A greenfield site in the Essex town is among a number of alternatives on the outskirts of the East End being considered by the Olympic Delivery Authority.
The move has been made after the ODA encountered complications in fitting the Olympic shooting events into the historic Royal Artillery barracks.
A bespoke venue such as Barking would cut costs and also pacify the national shooting federation, which has lobbied for a new range to be built as a legacy from the Olympics.
Alternatives to Woolwich are detailed in the Government-commissioned report by KPMG which conducted a cost analysis of temporary venues.
The Olympic board accepted the accountancy firm's recommendation to keep equestrianism in Greenwich Park and basketball in the Olympic Park.
However the shooting remains under review and will be discussed again at next month's Board.
A move to Barking may satisfy Boris Johnson, who said he was "disappointed" that savings could not have been made on the other temporary venues. If chosen, Barking would be within easy reach of the Olympic village in Stratford for about 400 Olympic shooters.
Barking would be the third choice of Olympic shooting venue as Games chiefs opted against the national shooting centre in Bisley, Surrey, after they were advised by the International Olympic Committee during the bid that it was too far for shooters to travel from London. KPMG included Bisley in their cost analysis but its chances of becoming a 2012 venue are minimal.
KPMG has focused on cost effectiveness and its report is thought to have highlighted difficulties in Woolwich in accommodating the range "template" which is particularly large for Olympic events.
Woolwich was chosen during the bid as one of the "river zone" venues. But it was opposed by British Shooting which wrote to MPs and started a petition on the Downing Street website to have it moved.
The ODA is scouring eastern boroughs of London but if Barking wins approval then it will create a sixth Olympic borough of Barking and Dagenham.
An ODA spokesman said: "Work to assess the best option is ongoing and no final decisions have yet been taken."
Reader views (16)
Barking needs and deserves this, a regeneration on waste lands a 10 min drive from Stratford and at a whooping saving. Can we really afford £40 Million pounds right now to be spent on an opulent area that doesn't need this temporary structure ?
- Scott, barking, 09/10/2009 09:03
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I think there are quite enought guns in Essex aleady.
- Ken Charman, Wokingham, UK, 30/09/2009 23:51
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Why is it so difficult for the ODA to listen? We are supposed to deliver a world class shooting venue not a straw bale shoot in a field closer to London. These athletes are coming from all over the world and will have put years of training in by the time 2012 comes. They must be given a chance to compete in a world class facility if they are to compete for Olympic medals. The fact that if placed at Bisley, we get a lasting legacy as well makes much more economic sense, especially with the financial situation that will 'dog' the UK over the next 4-5 years.
Come on ODA.......Wake up.........stop digging your heels in!
- Mrs N Heron, Hungerford. UK, 30/09/2009 22:51
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As I ahve said before BArking and DAgenham are already paying for the Olympics, so at least they can get a return
- E Sullivan, London, 30/09/2009 22:51
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Maybe now we will get a Starbucks & Pizza Express in Barking
- Dave Smith, barking, 30/09/2009 22:51
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If Barking is the location, then the decision is also barking
- Bill Maclennan, Eastleigh, 30/09/2009 22:51
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All the facilities are at Bilsey - the home of shooting in the UK, with the neighbouring MOD ranges at Perbright and Ash. Move the shooting there or is that too obvious.
- Jeremy E, London, 30/09/2009 22:51
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Move it to Dalston and you'd need no particular facilities, and the locals can join in too
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london, 30/09/2009 22:51
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Bisley held the Commonwealth Games OK despite the rest of the events being in Manchester which on my map is a bit further away than London. What is wrong with LOCOG and the politicians? Or do they not want Bisley to be a success? Bisley could hold the Olympics no problem and for a lot less
- Karen, Oxford, 30/09/2009 22:51
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As London 2012 chairman Lord Coe will already know there is only one alternative venue suitable of hosting the 2012 Olympic shooting event and that venue is Dartford where there already exists a shooting club with fantastic facilities...
- Mjm, Dartford, 30/09/2009 22:51
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Woolwich barracks were always unsuitable and were always going to cost far too much money and leave no legacy after the games. Dartford council have refused permission for an Olympic shooting range. Britain will be unable to enter half the shooting events because we are the only country in Europe that has no competitive pistol shooting.
SPORT FOR ALL - I don't think so!
- Napoleon, Exmouth UK, 30/09/2009 22:51
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I do wish that people would realise that the existing ranges at Bisley are totally inadequate and cannot be used for the Olympics.
New ranges would have to be built for every event, albeit possibly on Bisley Camp.
Who would pay for them to be maintained after the Olympics. The legacy ranges from the Commonwealth Games have all but bankrupt the NSRA. They are at well below capacity 95% of the time. What will bigger more sophisticated ranges do.
Let Barking have the shiney new ranges and don't involve the national associations in the impending financial disaster.
- Chris, London, 30/09/2009 22:51
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"and that venue is Dartford where there already exists a shooting club with fantastic facilities..."
Dartford has a clay layout and no accommodation.
You neglect to consider the massive rifle and pistol complex necessary to host the 50m outdoor and 10m indoor ranges.
Given that Bisley currently just turns over a profit, there is no way the NSRA can afford to run a Lord Roberts Centre sized facility that close to Bisley (a short way round the M25).
The rifle and pistol building will have to be mothballed, as will the accommodation (what will a clay club do with a 400-room accommodation block?).
The answer is Bisley
1. A hotel is being built anyway, or else there is a university halls of residence a short distance away.
2. Bisley already has the necessary facilities (ranges/armoury/soon-to-be accommodation) - they just need upgrading to Olympic standard - which are technical changes - the existing buildings are more or less fine.
Apart from being the spiritual home of target shooting, Bisley provides a fantastic setting to the shooting events - period architecture, lots of clubhouses for spectators to get food and drink at. The upgrade to Olympic standard facilities means GB shooting will be able to consolidate it's training at Bisley, instead of scattering it across the country, as the squad has no single facility suitable for doing all their training at.
Bisley is not only the most suitable answer, but it would cost less than Dartford or Woolwich
- Richard, Southampton, 30/09/2009 22:51
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I am sure it woul dneed much less than £40m for Bisley to be up graded to accomodate the Press and necessary security arrangements, which appears to be th main reason why it wasn't selected in the first place. I suspect most competitors are more than familiar with Bisley and are quite happy with it.
To put in an olympic skeet range etc wouldn't be too difficult and at least there would be a long lasting legacy
- Simon, London -UK, 30/09/2009 22:51
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So the existing facilities at Bisley are somehow out of bounds for a little cash injection which would leave a good sporting legacy ?
Alternatively, there are numerous large Army firing ranges around the country.
It's difficult to see why a large amount of cash needs to be spent on a greenfield site.
- Cap, London, 30/09/2009 22:51
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Bisley whiners...shut up! What is so wrong with creating a new venue?
- Md, London, UK, 30/09/2009 22:51
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