Who says shopping and the Olympics don't go together?

[Fiona]

London's shops are in for a bumper boost to their finances in 2012 -- and if we follow Beijing's lead, maybe our public lavatories are too?

Reuters, July 2005

Hundreds More Shops and Toilets by Beijing 2008

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese capital plans to build 1,000 new minimarkets and convenience stores before it hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Beijing Economic Daily said on Sunday.

The news follows last week's announcement that the city is to launch "the largest toilet revolution in its history" to make life better for its 15 million residents and the expected hordes of Olympic tourists.

In addition to the new stores, Beijing intends to renovate 55 shopping centres, supermarkets and small shops to ensure access for the disabled, the newspaper said.

Also on the cards is creation of 500 franchised laundry and pressing shops, it added.

On Thursday, the city unveiled plans to upgrade 1,263 public lavatories in central districts before the end of this year.

Xinhua news agency said the massive programme would see the replacement of Beijing's "notoriously foetid back-street latrines with clean, well-maintained flush ones".