LONDON is set to empty out during the Olympics as locals leave town and tourists avoid the city during the 2012 Games.
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A new survey for travel website sunshine.co.uk has found that a third of British people plan to “get away from the busy period” in July and August.
A third of British people is about 20 million.
It’s true that most of those would be going abroad at that time anyway as it’s the traditional school holiday getaway period, but a third of those planning to miss the Olympics say it is the Games that is forcing them out.
A third of 20 million is just under seven million.
It’s no big stretch to say that the vast majority of those planning their escape are from London and, as it happens, seven million is London’s total population.
Add that to another recent survey which revealed that city break bookings to London at Olympics time are 95% down on this year and it’s like the place will be a virtual ghost town, filled only with athletes, Olympic officials and over-charging taxi drivers.
