Alan Burke wrote:but I suppose it comes down to either making plans to suit the elite or the majority ?
That is of course the dilemma. The availability of otherwise of sponsorship would or might come into it, as a sponsor might well wish to see the elite players taking part. The Olympiad attracts a number of players as either spectators or captains/trainers for other teams, so it's not just the ten selected English players plus captains who would be absent. Not that they have been present in recent years, but on paper you've also got the absence of the Scots, Welsh, Irish and Channel Isles teams to consider.
For those players who are employed, it might be unlikely that they could attend both events even if they don't clash. It's also possible that even players who could play both events, might decline to do so if they were only a day or two apart.
Alex McF was suggesting that Chess Scotland might be running an event to tie in with the Glasgow Commonwealth games, the dates of which are 23rd July to 3rd August. So that's another potential factor.
(edit) The Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, but without chess content. The Commonwealth point was that Chess Scotland are considering offering to host the Commonwealth Championships (/edit)
(edit) Arbiters and officials may want or need to be in Tromso also (/edit)