To think that the money that was spent of fireworks

[MamaMaiasaura]

Could have been put to better use?

As has been said on another thread, now we've got the Olympics we really ought to make the effort not to embarrass ourselves. The alternative, as one other poster put it, is to have Boris waving a couple of sparklers and blowing a kazoo!

I'm sure I read somewhere that a lot of the money for the opening/closing ceremonies comes from corporate sponsorship.

There is no earthly way that so much more revenue was created to justify the expense.

I can go with the "it is a British company" excuse, up to a point but really as hard as it is for the company, we do have to look at the big picture.

SantasCave
The initial money for the opening and closing ceremonies was provided by corporate sponsorship. Cameron decided he wanted it to be more "spectacular" so has stumped up another £41m.

I don't see that it is embarrassing ourselves to say, "We are in a recession, and would rather spend out money on hospitals and schools than extravagant displays, so we are scaling back".

When I think of the opening and closing ceremonies of previous Olympics, the most memorable moments have been the athletes parade, and the dancing etc. Not the fireworks.

And moments such as North and South Korea walking in together.

No, ceremonies would normally be funded privately, but this extra 41 million is coming from the taxpayer I'm afraid. As this is a global recession, wouldn't it be more responsible to say 'Look World, we are still having the games, but we are cutting back a bit because well, you can see how we are fixed'

yes, Growlithe.

It is like a person saying, "Well, I know that I am in debt, Mr Bank Manager, but I booked two weeks in Magaluf cause I always go to Magaluf with my mates in August, and they will take the piss if I don't go".

I'm more than happy to be corrected!

The key problem is we awarded the Olympics in better times when, foolishly with hindsight, many people thought the good times were here to stay and they were not do bothered about allocating so much money to the Games.

It was a dress rehearsal for the Olympics in terms of logistics, as I think the same people are involved - so probably money well spent so we don't look like complete Millennium Dome tw*ts this summer.

Plus my 17 year old DS actually managed to get himself there and back using public transport and wasn't completely smashed! I almost fainted, having been more than prepared to conduct 3am mercy dashes!

AND there were BLUE ones :)

Does anybody really think £41 million is going to sort out hospitals and schools, try converting it into billions and then tripling the amount and then you might get close to the money needed for schools and hospitals. It's like a child trying to give his pocketmoney to clear the international debt or bail out Greece/Spain/Portugal/Italy

In the meantime lets have a little bit of cheer and I for one thought the fireworks were amazing and spectacular

Bread and roses, people.

I know 41m is the tip of the iceberg, but where has it come from, when we are supposed to have nothing?

The council where I live spent £8k on fireworks for the Christmas lights switch on.
That's a whole years wage for someone in my position. We're having a service review in the new year and will be expected to reinterview for our positions.
Nice to see where their priorities lie; what a kick in the teeth. Some of us will doubtless be unemployed by the end of the year, but a least the sky was sparkly for a while.
Last night's extravaganza feels just the same, on a much, much larger scale.

No, of course £41m will not sort out hospitals and schools, but multiply that by the other unnecessary costs, and you do have a big whack of cash.

That is EXTRA money, on top of the allocated cash.

£162 cut - sports for kids

Every Child a Reader - not cut but ringfencing removed, so 1/3 less schools will offer this programme. £1 spent on Every Child a Reader can save the public purse £12-19.

So we are cutting programmes that will benefit millions of kids, and actually save the country some cash for a show.

Or bread and circuses.

I actually think it's really important to spend money on these things at times like these. In difficult times people need a lift, it's very important psychologically.

They were spectacular and I got great joy from watching them. Honestly, they would have brought people in who spent money, and they will lead to more tourists next NYE who want to see similar. I would far rather we cut a few thousand unnecessary quangos, managers, consultants and other drains on the economy and save a bit of money that way. The wastage and stupid spending that goes on in councils/the NHS is what really concerns me.

Two million plus last night. Is that fireworks plus security etc, or is it actually more than that? Yes they were spectacular, but isn't it spending money we don't have spare at the mo? Doesn't seem right.

London fireworks are relatively a new thing, since 2000 I believe.It's like we need to be seen to compete with others like Dubai/Sydney.

The Olympic budget is something else, that worries me as it seems to constantly be escalating.

Worzel, you don't really want money directed out of the NHS to day for fireworks do you?

*pay

Yes, Rather. It seems to be me that it is all about showing off that we are as good as Sydney or Dubai.

I do think that it was too much but I also think it was supposed to say, look, it's not all doom and gloom, let's see a new year in with a positive thing. I'm a little biased about the company that supplies them as they are local to my home town. I kind of think that no fireworks would have been a bit sad.

The olympics however, not convinced about the mammoth amounts of cash going on that.

And of course in the cold light of day, millions on fireworks is silly. :( I'm torn in what I think about it!

Another thought, how much would be payed back to the govt in tax anyway? The fireworks company would pay tax, the people being paid to work would pay tax etc etc. anyone know what the figures are for how much that all works out at?

Money spent on fireworks circulates back into the economy, via the companies employed to put on the display and event. BUT it does seem mad for perplexed's council to spend an employee's annual wage on sparklers and rockets when they are sacking people who do a useful job.

Personally I'd be only too happy if they scrapped the Olympics - huge waste of money and diversion of resources when essential services and support for the most vulnerable people are being cut. Plus it's going to be a fucking nightmare for anyone who has to travel around London. I hate those patronising announcments they keep making about 'ooh, perhaps you could go to the pub after work to avoid the rush' - yeah, right, because I don't actually have to do anything else, like pick up my son from the childminders or anything. Fuckwits.

I completely agree with FontSnob.

It did piss me off when I watched the news this morning and I only saw London and their fireworks and no other city in the UK.
Edinburgh has an amazing Hogmanay, and were never mentioned.
I do love the Olympics though, and hope it is an enormous success.
But lets not forget that London does not represent us all.

Yes, money circulates back into the economy but not enough to cover the costs of the fireworks. And the same is true of the Olympics. How can the opening ceremony bring £41m into the economy?