Press Cuttings Transcripts
We Are World Class
The Wharf, 08 July 2004
Excel boss hits out at newspaper claim
EXCEL chiefs have slammed suggestions made in a Sunday newspaper that it is not
a world class conference centre.
Bosses are furious after Gerry Acher - who Mayor Ken Livingtone recently
appointed to make the business case for a new International Conference Centre
(ICC) - claimed in a newspaper interview that the Docklands centre could not
accomodate large-scale meetings.
Acher, currently chairman of lottery operator Camelot, said that no London venue
was capable of hosting conferences of more that 1,000 delegates, adding that
EXCEL could cope with the visitors but that there was not enough acoommodation
for them nearby.
But EXCEL chief executive Jamie Buchan said: "This is a world class conference
and exhibition centre and will play a prominent role in winning business for
London."
A spokesman added that there are 1,500 hotel rooms within a five minute walk and
5,000 within a 20 minutes DLR ride.
An EXCEL insider said Mr Buchan was planning on writing to Acher to point out
the centre's capability as a world class conference centre.
A London ICC Commission spokesperson quickly backtracked, saying "Excel is an
excellent venue and this commission has not been set up to create competition
for it.