to think that the London Olympics are just about cashing in and not Sport

[TalkinPeace2]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15110730

No picnics to be taken in
No drinks to be taken in
No big bottles of sunscreen to be taken

Only payments by cash and Visa once inside
McDonalds are the only branded food seller inside

So EVERYBODY will have to buy take away food with lots of packaging - more waste.

Entry through Westfield Stratford...

That's a rumour. I'm off there tomorrow for my first ever trip to a Westfield so I might be able to substantiate it or not.

Could the drinks/sunscreen thing be a security precaution, like at the airport?

Oh, read the article now. I see that's true...

As it says you can take up to 100mls I would guess that was why!

It is a security issue. I cant really see the problem with it. Free water will be available inside, as well as unbranded catering vans.

I think the 'security precaution' stuff is just a mask for their real reasons, which are:

1. If a bottled-water company are an official sponsor, they'll kick off if some other brand is shown on TV being drunk by a spectator.

1. If you bring in your own food/drink, then you wouldn't pay for the overpriced stuff inside the venue.

So spending a day in Greenwich Park watching the horses you and your children will not mind not being allowed to take a picnic???

It doesn't look as though you'll be able to take an uber picnic, but surely a few rounds of sandwiches and some basic trimmings will be allowed? Like on a plane?

Don't know why I'm getting involved. Despite living IN SIGHT of the park, putting up with all the traffic disruption and bidding for tickets at every turn we won nowt.

at all those who did!

Betsy
are you in NoGOE? - have you SEEN what they want to do up on Shooters?

The drinks restriction was also in place at Athens (don't know about Beijing) and it's about sponsorship. Also Visa only. This is not a new thing for London.

For the record, Athens Olympics were not ruined by this and I think London will be great too.

So ner

What about food?

Did you go to Athens and Beijing?

Betsy, you cant take food on a plane, unless you have purchased it after security.

I regularly do - sandwiches, dried fruit, babybel, nuts - so long as there are no fluids its OK
and remember to leave the leftovers ON the plane if going into the US - they have a FIT!!
I just hate the fact that Gatwick have no free water fountains airside to fill up bottles

I guess what bugs me about the Olympic thing is that for those who are broke and already paying for travel to a venue, to have to buy catering food is a painful extra

Went to Athens not Beijing.

As we we away from home we were buying food there anyway, didn't really have the option to bring it in with us. I do remember McDonald's being there, but also basic stuff like hot dogs. I'm sure we could have taken in food of some kind if wanted, they security scanned us like at the airport but didn't go through our bags in great details. The security checks in London will probably be tighter, and understandably so.

Erm... I don't know what that is. But I will find out now.

apple+t

Lord, that's dreadful.

It's easy (being an NorthEastEnder) to focus only on how much the Olympic Park has done for an otherwise really polluted stretch of land on this side of the river. I know there was some, small opposition here but at least on the main site there will be something largely inspirational where there was little before. This is rather different though, isn't it?

I'll read the site properly.

The Olympics has to be sponsored. The sponsors are big multinationals that make unhealthy food and tellies. They control how people spend their money because they want to re-coup their outlay. They aren't doing it for philanthropic reasons, sadly.

squeaky - spot the one who's been to the isle of wight every year for the last 5 years

I am really looking forward to the Olympics and I think it will be great, despite that

On holiday I mean.

PS the same sponsors sponsor all Olympics, so the same things will apply to all Olympics

Every penny of the cost of building/organising the thing which is NOT recovered through ticket/drink/sponsorship sales will be paid by us in any event through taxes (read somewhere the estimate if you live in London is £50 per person per annum for life). At least drinks prices etc hit those who are seeing the events and not those who are not.

The whole thing is madness

That sounds v high vixsatis. Will check

Betsy
Yes - in Greenwich Park they have already lopped bits off hundreds of old trees, trashed archaeological remains, plan to shut the whole of the park to everybody for nearly two months etc etc
All for a cross country course that is so short it will be dangerous, but a jump will go over the Meridian for the TV
and Hickstead is only a few miles away.
It is pure vandalism.
www.nogoe2012.com/