by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Kent firms that have not yet bid for Olympic contracts have been urged to join the party.

John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, was in the county to promote business opportunities and congratulate firms that have already won deals.

Mr Armitt grew up in the county and knows it well. Before his present role, he headed Union Railways - developer of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - and was chief executive at Railtrack and Network Rail.

He told business people at the South East 2012 Conference and Exhibition at the Ramada Hotel, near Maidstone, that the ODA had £7billion to spend on gearing London up for the Games. Around £5billion would be spent over the next two years.

He said: "The next two years are the period of maximum business opportunity when contracts are going to be let.

"Kent and the south east have very much got themselves on the map and so they should. If anyone ought to win work, then after London it has to be the companies in south east England that are most closely connected and the most willing."

Getting a foot in the door could lead to continuous business in the area "for a very long time".

He urged small firms to go for it because 60 per cent of contracts awarded so far had gone to small and medium enterprises.

Before speaking to 500 people attending the conference, organised by the South East England Development Agency and Business Link Kent, Mr Armitt said he was confident the project would be delivered within budget and on time. It had to be because the Government would not allocate any more money, and the Olympics would start on July 27, 2012.

"As far as I’m concerned, London is the best city in the world and can undoubtedly put on the best Games because London will party in a way that nobody else can. Kent can join the party and have it’s own party - why not?"

Around 14,000 south east businesses have registered their interest on the CompeteFor website, and some have already won contracts. They include civil engineering firm Dean & Dyball, based in Aylesford, and Sunray Engineering in Ashford. Both were visited by Mr Armitt during his visit to Kent.