# So.... The Olympics, Then....



## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

So now the latest assessment is that it will now cost five times the original estimate. Well feck me, there's a surprise, eh? Well done Lord Coe! I'll bet the good burghers of Paris are breathing a long sigh of relief over that one!

Perhaps I'm being a bit isolationist here, but as the bulk of this money will be coming from a combination of the Public purse and lottery funds I wonder who on earth will gain anything from this apart from Londoners? They will get (admittedly long overdue and much needed) road and tube improvements and a whole host of new multi-million pound sports arenas, one of which it seems will be handed over to a football team as soon as the event has finished.... WTF??? I can't speak for other areas of the country but I can tell you that here in Wales we are not going to see a lot of Olympic benefit.... In a blaze of local publiicity the great and the good of the South Wales political scene had their photos taken recently at the opening of the new white water rafting facility in Cardiff, built at considerable cost especially for the canoeing events of the Olympics. However it transpires that the course is actually too small to be used for the event itself so it will be used as a training facility only - nice to see that our money is being so wisely spent....

But perhaps I am being overly negative - after all I understand that we are bidding to have some of the football played here at the National Stadium and could even get one or two of the qualifying matches.... So that's all right then, as Wembley really does need all the matches it can get.

I'm really looking forward to this summer...... perhaps the rhythmic gymnastics, BMX biking and synchronised swimming will cheer me up.

Rob


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

i'll take a particular pleasure in travelling between newport and cardiff by public transport during the olympics suffering no more delays or closures than usual.

may also take in a show here in south wales as it seem that will be a bit of a problem in the big smoke too.

any excuse for a moan ;-)


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Same thing up here - - I don't see much benefit to us at all!

But you see, Sebby and the rest are focused solely on how they can justify the expense for a personal pet project. If the athletics Olympics mob want to host such a wonderful event, why is it not being self funded by the athletics and Olympics mob? 

If we want to go to the World Dance Championships it can cost us nearly Â£400 each just for the tickets, but the event itself lives or dies by it's own profitability without subsidy by govmint money.

Bah Humbug!


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Barryboy said:


> But perhaps I am being overly negative - after all I understand that we are bidding to have some of the football played here at the National Stadium and could even get one or two of the qualifying matches.... So that's all right then, as Wembley really does need all the matches it can get.
> 
> Rob


Wouldn't hold your breath on that one. With all the exciting football planned for up here at Hampden (an absolute dump - should have been at Ibrox or Parkhead) word is that under 10% of tickets have been sold up here for the football. None of the mens or womens GB teams games will be up here as in manchester, Cardiff and Wembley. Maybe a dig at the SFA for their opposition the a UK team.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

I may be in a minority on here/up here - but I can't wait. was really excited all those years back when the annoucement was made in Singapore. I tried but failed to get tickets for athletics, cycling, swimming, Beach volleyball ( :man_in_love: ), but did get quarterfinal football in Manchester and semis at wembley for me and the boy. He and many of his pals at school are really excited about it too (- they've been doing projects at school on the Olympics).

I also originate from just a couple of miles from a small village in Shropshire, that will now be ever remembered for by one half of the one eyed Olympic Mascots.

There has also been a bit of a benefit up here in Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Sports Village (fantastic facilities but also the scene of my busted ankle last year), was designed, built and partly funded with the Olympics in mind - many of the participants are staying up here prior to the games for training.

Bring it on!!


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

Ah... Aberdeen's got something out of it... fair enough... I would imagine that you needed a facilities upgrade so well done.

No, my main point is that we are already almost ten billion (that's ten thousand million) pounds overspent on Lord Coe's little vanity project and God alone knows what the final figure's going to pan out at, and all this at a time when the Country can't afford it. And when it''s all over and the sports tourists flock back to their countries of origin we (no, I don't mean we... I mean Londoners) are going to be left with a host of fancy facilities that will gradually become less and less used until the local authorities decide that it's uneconomical to maintain them and close them down in an economy measure. That, or dole them out to football clubs like the City of Manchester council did; witness the squabble between West Ham Utd. and Tottenham Hotspur for the prize..... but at least those stadia will be used and maintained. But who's going to want a velodrome? Beach volleyball court in Januarty anyone?

Ah... do i hear the faint cry of "No, that'll never happen... the public need these facilities... they will be used..."? Take a look at Athens... the Greeks had such high hopes for their marvellous new facilities but by 2005 the public interest bubble had burst (pun not intended) and by 2006 a lot of these places had shut down. The Athens Olympic stadium is today one of Europe's largest Gypsy sites but at least it's being used.... even if mostly by Romanians.

No, I can't see beyond this all being trumpeted as a marvellous stage for England (Oops"! - I mean Britain) to show the world how wonderful we are but as soon as it's all over the politicians will move on and the tax payer will be picking up the bills for it all. Just what we needed, eh?


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## chris r (Oct 17, 2011)

As I work in central London for Transport For Loonydon, the whole things has been a nightmare for at least the last 2-3 years & will continue to be until it all finally ends. So many things are being done â€œfor the Olympicsâ€ (if I had a pound for every time Iâ€™ve heard that you would have to ban me from the sales part of the forum as Iâ€™d be buying everything), but at the end of the day, itâ€™s only 4 weeks out of 48 for the year. What happens when itâ€™s all over? Is it going to be worth it? All that money, time & effort for what is essentially a glorified school sports day? I doubt it.

The Olympics isnâ€™t the greatest show on earth as I keep being told & see on the tube/buses etc. Watching the space shuttle take off, thatâ€™s a greater show than the Olympics. I do like my sport but Iâ€™m sick to the back teeth with it.

The whole road network will be going to hell in a hand cart for those 4 weeks, just so the suits can be whizzed from Park Lane to Stratford without having to share the roads with the great unwashed. I doubt I will be working in my usual office during the times the games are on as we have all be told London is pretty much closed unless you either A) live here or B are going to watch a sporting event. So Iâ€™ll have to work from a port-a-cabin in Uxbridge. Oh joy.


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Â£10 bn overspent? that's double the 9.3bn budget! and the largest estimate of overspend I can see is nowhere near that. I don't think spurs or west ham were ever going to be given the stadium, they would be tenants in the same way the bitters are at the council house.

Personally I want nothing to do with the Olympics in it's current form which usually ensures that the already privileged capital city gets it all and the regions get crumbs, really it's the bidding process that's at fault as you can only have the games (or World Cup) if you agree to throw a lot of money at it (and grease enough palms) it's corrupt.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Couldn't care less and what a waste of money. I have no idea what Olympics are supposed to mean nowadays, when David Beckham is in them, for no good reason that I can see, you know it's time to pack it in. Bag of b.o.l.l.o.x, most tax payers don't give a monkeys fart, they've got 24/7 top level sport from around the world on their TV's, times have changed. Euro 2012 is all I care about.

Why couldn't we just have had the important bit, the 100m race at Wembley on it's own? Job done.


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## chris r (Oct 17, 2011)

...and don't get me started on Stratford. What a hole!! They say that having the olympics there will regenerate the area. ****** will it. You come out of Stratford Station, Carry on walking you come to a grotty run down shopping centre full of 99p shops, through there a dismal high street which even on a weekday, seems to be over run with people, which hints heavily that there is an unemployment problem.

But if you come out of Stratford Station and turn left, you hit the Westfield Centre, where they have all the shops under sun. Omega & Tag have shops in there, go past the glittery shops into the Olympic Village.

Heaven forfend the people attending the games should see what Stratford is really like?

And as it's been pointed out before, I can see the Velodrome really being popular with the locals :wallbash:


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Ah, Westfield, how would the UK function without it's temples of "stuff"?

The Olympics, they should be run like the Euro capital of culture, each tinpot competiton excommunicated to the provinces. Run by local people, have the canoe slalom in the upper dales, cycling in Norfolk, shooting in Workington etc. Let local communities and schoolchildren get involved, have a p.o.i.n.t to the thing.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

As a reply to the original topic......NO!


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

Airplane spotters should keep an eye open for this livery.


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

Does Maggie know about these fancy tailplane designs? I seem to remember it causing a bit of a stir the last time it was done....


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## spaceslug (Dec 3, 2011)

Seems to me to be a complete waste of time and money. I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but how come every time the UK gets to host the Olympics, it's at a time when the world is in complete disarray and strapped for cash? Any one else get the feeling that we've been set up?


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

Talking to a friend who has a hotel in Cumbria he's aid bookings are down over he period of the Olympics and immediately after it.

Reason Japanese tourists starting their holiday in London go up to the lakes as well ( i was surprised as well) no accommodation in London during this time means they are not travelling to the uk so bookings are down in Cumbria.

All sounds like. Butterfly flapping it's wings in Beijing to me


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Roger the Dodger said:


> As a reply to the original topic......NO!


Ditto, a great big, obscenely expensive waste of time :thumbsdown:

Oh & to top it off it`ll no doubt displace what few decent programmes there are on tv :taz:


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

Well I'm going! It might only be Football at Coventry stadium, but I am taking my little girls and my Dad to the football. You either moan, or enjoy it - you're paying for it either way!


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## MerlinShepherd (Sep 18, 2011)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Ditto, a great big, obscenely expensive waste of time :thumbsdown:


Someone's creaming it in.... not us though. I find the whole thing mind-bendingly tedious.


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## spaceslug (Dec 3, 2011)

scottswatches said:


> Well I'm going! It might only be Football at Coventry stadium, but I am taking my little girls and my Dad to the football. You either moan, or enjoy it - you're paying for it either way!


I think you may be paying for it twice.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

gaz64 said:


> Talking to a friend who has a hotel in Cumbria he's aid bookings are down over he period of the Olympics and immediately after it.
> 
> Reason Japanese tourists starting their holiday in London go up to the lakes as well ( i was surprised as well) no accommodation in London during this time means they are not travelling to the uk so bookings are down in Cumbria.
> 
> All sounds like. Butterfly flapping it's wings in Beijing to me


According to a report released today, bookings in Scotland for July and August are up 30% on last year, with targeted advertising still to come.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

There is a real slump in London this summer! Booked and occupied hotel rooms are entirely different things, with the extortionately raised prices, ordinary people can't afford a room and the Olympic orgnisation commitee recently returned over a 100k of rooms that they pre-booked but now don't need. The truth is in tourist pre-bookings for London's ever popular attractions, and some are down 95%. It's just one big jamboree for the wealthy and the priviliged.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

It was always going to be bollocks, and the overspend is frankly incompetent, what is the point of tendering for these projects, they must pitch a low bid knowing full well they can go over on the spend! I wish I could win business like that.....

I saw a program looking into the aftermath of Olympics in recent times and how it benefited the host country afterwards..... In nearly all cases it didn't, it was a financial disaster...

Just imagine all that money and what it should buy, 20 billion ........ Some people have got very rich......

All the knock on implications to business too, my Mrs works for FedEx in corporate security, the work they and the ops team have had to do to try to keep the business running as smoothly as possible during the games is immense, I work for a medical company and the London Hospitals are trying to put measures in place to ensure vital deliveries wont be affected etc etc etc....


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

And another thought... every time we turn on the radio or the it will be nothing but the bloody Olympics.....


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

Anyone else think this year is a smut-fest? Look at the Olympic mascot (Wenlock) and tell me it doesn't look like a walking....well, you tell me.

His pal Mandeville isn't much better (the blue one, the Paralympic mascot...) 










And the emblem? How many millions did they spend on designers, just to draw Lisa Simpson on her knees doing something quite rude??  :lol:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

kevkojak said:


> Anyone else think this year is a smut-fest? Look at the Olympic mascot (Wenlock) and tell me it doesn't look like a walking....well, you tell me.
> 
> His pal Mandeville isn't much better (the blue one, the Paralympic mascot...)
> 
> ...


Absolute classic Kev :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

My mate text me about the Lisa Simpson 'thing' a few weeks ago and now it's all I can see when I look at it.


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

I might be doing some security for this, TA ring bossed about by private security bods ... Still it's a days pay ....


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