London, Oct 16 (ANI): Restaurant owners in London have warned that Olympics 2012 may not serve as a boon for their business and they will lose out.
They also warned that it would be a repeat of the "wash-out" royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April.
The Olympics is expected to attract approximately 5.5 million daytime visitors and 900,000 over-night visitors, but restaurateurs predict regulars staying away, supplies being disrupted and tourists lured from the West End.
According to The Earl of Bradford, chairman of the Restaurant Association and owner of Porters English Restaurant and Covent Garden Grill, the royal wedding was a "wash-out" and he deems that the Olympics could be, too.
"I think that's an example when people are in London specifically for one reason they don't think of going out to a restaurant," the Independent quoted him as saying.
Another restaurateur Richard Shepherd is considering closing his four restaurants during the Games after takings plunged by 75 percent over the royal wedding period.
"I think a lot of people are going to catch a cold again," he said.
Shepherd suggested London's roads would be "gridlocked" and regulars would go on holiday to avoid the disruption. (ANI)
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