5 July 2012 Last updated at 19:01 ET

London 2012: No Olympic glory for gagged firms

By Emma Simpson Business correspondent, BBC News

"It's precisely because times are tough that we've got to get everything we can out of these Games to support jobs and to support growth in the economy."

That was the message from Prime Minister David Cameron during a visit to Loughborough University, where the preparation camp for Team GB is housed.

But creating this business legacy is not so easy for many of the companies involved in building and delivering the London Games.

Thousands of British businesses won contracts. But most are unable to shout about their success because the event's organisers fear it could upset the big-name official sponsors.

Peter Murray, head of New London Architecture, an organisation that promotes the best of London architecture, wanted to stage a-not-for-profit Olympics exhibition to celebrate the work of British companies.

"We wanted to show what British skills could do, and we discussed this with Locog (the body organising the Olympics) at great length.

"After a few months we got a letter from their legal department saying we couldn't do it as it was against the marketing rights protocol," Mr Murray said.

That 32-page protocol was put in place by Locog to protect the official sponsors. It is the hefty financial contributions from these big corporate firms that have largely paid the £2bn to stage the event.

London 2012 - One extraordinary year

• The BBC's home of 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, culture, torch relay, video and audio

But many people believe the rules have been taken too far, especially as, in the current economic climate, companies could get an extra lift by being able to bask in a little Olympic glory.

"We're in a period where we need to do everything we can to promote these architects' work overseas," Mr Murray said.

"Although firms are allowed to put just a line on their website, or in some promotional literature, that they've been involved, they can't write to clients, organise their own exhibitions. Some of them have been stopped from entering awards to promote their work," he said.

The Olympics venues were built on time and on budget - quite a feat, and something to shout about.

But every one of the companies involved had to sign a contract five years ago that placed huge restrictions on marketing their link to the Games, before, during and even up to 12 years after this summer.

Oxfordshire-based STL Communications were happy to sign up. They're supplying the telephones and the headsets for the opening and closing ceremonies.

They are also proud of their involvement and have done well out of the work. But the managing director, Brendan Cross, believes growth for his business could have been even better if he had had more opportunity to speak about the success.

He said: "We're a relatively small company, with limited resources. Had we, maybe, been able to talk a bit more freely and openly, it would have been easier to reach a wider audience and perhaps the 30% growth might have been nearer 40% or 50%."

There is frustration, too, at the British Chambers of Commerce. The business lobby group believes companies should be able to shout from the rooftops about their role in this once-in-a-lifetime event.

"I completely understand why the Olympic organisers need to protect sponsors during the Games, but I cannot understand why the protocols should remain in place until 2024," said Adam Marshall, the BCC's policy director.

"What we need is common sense. We need to see those businesses winning new orders here and overseas on the basis of their contribution to one of the biggest infrastructure projects in our country's history," he said.

Sir John Armitt, who heads the Olympic Delivery Authority, is optimistic the issue about marketing may be sorted within a few months

Locog deny they have been heavy-handed. They say that without the sponsors the Games would not happen, which is why they require suppliers not to advertise their involvement.

But Sir John Armitt, boss of the Olympic Delivery Authority, the body responsible for developing and building the venues and infrastructure, has now made his feelings clear.

His government-commissioned report into the benefits to business has finally been published.

"One can have a view about the protocols in the run-up to the Games, but clearly after the Games it just seems sensible to me that those protocols should be relaxed," Sir John said.

"I find it hard to understand why the protocols should not be relaxed and I think ministers clearly feel likewise, and they've now taken up the challenge to get this resolved with the Olympic authorities. So, I am optimistic this will get sorted in the next few months."

Building, the magazine for the construction industry, has led the campaign for change, providing a voice for the companies which have been too scared to speak out.

Joey Gardiner, assistant editor of the magazine, is worried the Armitt proposals may be too little, too late.

The organising committee Locog deny they are being heavy-handed

He said: "Rather than pledging work to reduce the marketing protocols after the Games have finished, the construction industry needs help now to allow it to tell its story, both in the UK and to lucrative overseas markets.

"Construction is in the middle of its toughest recession for decades, with hundreds of thousands of jobs already lost to the industry.

"The government has recognised the sector is key to returning growth to the economy, yet it is allowing the draconian way these marketing rules are being interpreted to hinder the sector's attempts to recover."

However, the government is hinting that there could be changes by the end of the year.

That can't come soon enough for the contractors who want to go out and sell their stories and win much-needed business off the back of these Games.