Glasgow 2014 to engage with local business community.

On Thursday 21 July, Glasgow 2014 - in partnership with Glasgow City Marketing Bureau – will host local businesses at a free business information evening at the Old Fruitmarket.

The event aims to update them on the planning and preparation for the XX Commonwealth Games and the associated opportunities that exist for local businesses.

David Grevemberg, Acting Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014, together with Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, will begin the evening by outlining the importance of the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow in 2014. Further insights from various members of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee will also be presented.

Representatives from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Government Olympic Executive will also be in attendance to enable local companies to engage directly with the different organisations working on the 2012 Olympic Football at Hampden Park and the Torch Relay event which will tour right across the country.

The format will include workshop tables with the organisations mentioned above with support from; Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, EventScotland, Creative Scotland, Business Club Scotland,  VisitBritain, VisitScotland, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life.

If you or your business would like to attend the evening, please click here for more information and to register your interest.

Scottish politicians demand to know reason for Scott resignation at Glasgow 2014

John Scott's shock resignation as chief executive of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games has sparked a political row in Scotland with Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats all joining forces to claim that the SNP Government had handled the "situation very badly" with the affair even being compared to the current crisis that has engulfed FIFA, world football's governing body.

Scott stepped down from his £179,000 ($286,000) per year job yesterday after he admitted breaking rules over accepting gifts and hospitality from a potential supplier.

He called it an "error of judgement" but mystery surrounds the exact circumstances behind the reasons for his resignation.

Labour Culture spokeswomen Patricia Ferguson claimed that the public have a right to know the full details of Scott's decision.

But Glasgow 2014 spokeswoman said it is a private limited company set up by the Government and Glasgow City Council alongside Games partners - the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Scotland.

It is, she said, not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which gives taxpayers legal rights to see information from Scottish public authorities.

Ferguson said: "There must be full public disclosure immediately.

"The public have a right to know the reasons behind the resignation of the chief executive in mysterious circumstances.

"The reputation and integrity of the Games are at stake and they cannot afford to be tainted by this.

"The Scottish Government should also make clear if there is substance to media reports about a fall-out between the First Minister [Alex Salmond] and the chief executive."

Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser said: "The chief executive's resignation at such a crucial time is a serious blow to the 2014 Games, an event we all want to succeed.

"It is clear from the growing confusion that the SNP Government has handled this situation very badly and, by being so secretive, has in fact made it worse.

"The SNP must act now to remove the stench engulfing this affair, or total chaos will ensue."

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "If we are going to have confidence in the running of these Games and so they don't get caught up in the scandals of Olympics past and FIFA present, the Scottish Government needs to come clean.

"With hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money being spent on these Games, it is essential that we are given a proper explanation."

Exclusive: Management shake-up at Commonwealth Games England as adverts for top posts go out

Commonwealth Games England (CGE) has placed adverts in the national press seeking applicants for the posts of chief executive, sports director and commercial director, all of whom will be expected to oversee a crucial period for which the organisation has already drawn up a strategy programme.

"We will be generating a step change on the back of these appointments," CGE chairman Sir Andrew Foster told insidethegames.

"We are looking at a different sort of approach."

The impending changes to the management structure, Foster maintaims, are part of a general movement to make the CGE - which re-branded itself last year with the "WeAreEngland" logo – more attractive to sponsors.

"We already have a wealth of expertise on our board with people such as our President, Dame Kelly Holmes, Lawrence Dallaglio, David Robinson, who is CEO of Speedo, and Arsenal's marketing director  Angus Kinnear," Foster said.

"It is all a case of making it look to sponsors like a very supportable proposition."

It is also part of the CGE plan to move their head office from Crystal Palace to a more central location, while looking to save costs by sharing a property.

"Crystal Palace is a bit out of the way," Foster said, "and we want to be much more in view. We want to be alongside other major sporting organisations at the centre of things."

In the wake of the Delhi Games last year, where potentially disastrous event turned out to be a very successful one as far as English athletes were concerned - with more medals won at a Commonwealths abroad than ever before - the CGE has put in place a wide-ranging strategy document looking at key areas for change and improvement in the years of rich opportunity leading to the Glasgow 2014 Games.