Surrey businesses have won almost £740 million worth of Olympic and Paralympic contracts - about 90% of all those secured across the South East.

A total of 164 Surrey firms have struck deals linked to the Olympic and Paralympic Games including security companies, caterers, construction firms and management consultants, among others. They are working on projects including the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Velodrome.

However, there are still contracts to be won with an estimated £1 billion likely to be generated by the Games for the South East economy. This is why Surrey county councillor Denise Saliagopoulos, who is overseeing the county's involvement in the Games, is urging more local businesses to get involved.

She said: "During these difficult economic times Surrey businesses have shown their resourcefulness by grasping opportunities presented by the 2012 Games with both hands. However, there are still hundreds of millions of pounds worth of deals to be done and I would urge Surrey companies who aren't yet involved to find out how they can benefit.


"In the coming months there will be a demand for businesses to provide an assortment of goods and services from flowers to catering equipment, curtains and even dental equipment. The council has been working hard to help businesses get involved and we’ll continue to do this."

Surrey County Council, along with Mole Valley, Elmbridge, Guildford, Woking and Waverley councils, have three new free events planned for March to help businesses make money before, during and after the 2012 Games. They will include:

•Details of pre-games contracts to be won and how to win them

•Facts and figures about important events and how to prepare for them

•Tourism industry advice including how to maximise profits and legacy

•What challenges to expect and how to prepare for them.

Louise Punter, Chief Executive of Surrey Chambers of Commerce, said: "The reason our local economy has fared better than the rest of the country is due to the proactive nature of local companies. However there is still a lot to go for and Surrey Chambers will be urging all businesses to book for these exciting events to help equip them to gain even more Olympic and Paralympic contracts.

"It is great to see local government leading on this initiative making it easier for businesses to succeed and demonstrates the effective partnership working between the public and private sectors."

(CD/GK)