To be totally dreading the Olympics because I live in London

[labelwriter]

I just am! Yesterday, I went to London Bridge to get to work and there was a practice for the Olympics and the whole station was in chaos and it was really shambolic. Last week I went to St James Park and most of it and the Mall was closed. It's going to add ages on to my journey. We have been told to cycle to work if we can but the bus lanes are to be closed so the VIP cars can use them and as i am sure anyone who cycles in central London will agree, this is going to cause lots of problems. Am sure the games themselves will be brilliant but it's the trying to get about in London bit I am dreading.

so Westfield didn't create thousands of jobs in the area?

Is that it? Trying to get a job at Westfield was hilarious.

My friend has found herself in a situation where she lost her job whilst pregnant with her son and has struggled to find work since. My friend applied for EVERY job going at Westfield. Some of the shops made her do a full days unpaid work (literally their shop floor staff were all interviewees that day) before deciding who they wanted. The Disney store rejected her for not knowing enough about Disney (she has a two year old who is Disney mad .

Either way, Westfield has provided jobs for those who want to work. What about the problem of young people having children as soon as they finish school and joining the dole queue cycle? I'm 24, I went to school in Newham, half my peers have 2/3 children, a council flat and no job. What is the Olympics doing to tackle Newham's problems?

No, that's not it - but creating thousands of jobs in a deprived area is pretty significant don't you think?

'Westfield has provided jobs for those who want to work'

...yes, that's pretty much how employment works.

No, Nancy I don't think. Westfield Staff isn't entirely made up of staff from Newham... I've been there and I've heard staff discussing their journey from Elephant and Castle. Perhaps if Westfield had made their jobs limited to Newham applicants only I might be saying whooopdedoo.

Lots of people in Newham have NO work ethic... so how does Westfield tackle that? Apart from giving people another place to spend their JSA?

No matter how you put it, Newham is not benefitting from the Olympics.

there are loads of people all over the country that have no work ethic - fuck all to do with the olympics.

The Olympics is apparently regenerating Newham, thats why it does have fuck lots to do with it.

Stratford was an easy target, it had nothing to do with regeneration... it's just the tag line the sold to people like you.

How depressing that you are a teacher

Depressing because I'm realistic about what Newham needs?

When you have taught children with bright futures who have been stabbed before they've made it to adulthood, you can then tell me what good an unaccessible stadium / olympic regeneration is doing for them.

I agree with GlassofRose that the 'regeneration' of Newham was a total con. I've seen no evidence of it at all other than Westfield which is another place for people to spend money buying crap they don't need. I don't see any change to the lives of people who are living in poverty.

It seems to me the Olympics is for the corporate and wealthy types, not for the 'plebs'.

Depressing because you are totally block headed with no vision or logic.

How do you expect her to be Nancy66? Some kind of happy-clappy Stepford-bot just because she's a teacher?

No Logic?

I don't see your logic. How does an Olympic stadium that is being sold to whatever football club that wants it going to help Newham?

Dear kids of Newham, your lives are going to be so enriched now that you can pay over the top prices to watch your favourite football team with binoculars Don't worry that most of your children will live in poverty, Westfield is here to save the day

Example of no logic:

Me: Hasn't Westfield created thousands of jobs.

You: but what about people who don't want to work?

The working class of Newham will find jobs with or without Westfield, they aren't the ones with a problem. The people who don't want to work need the "regeneration" so what does Westfield do for them?

I see that some people have benefitted from jobs. It is a very limited benefit.

I shall ask again, how does an Olympic stadium that is being sold to whatever football club that wants it going to help Newham?

Right. A fascinating new take. Brilliant.

Fascinating... you still can't tell us how Newham has benefitted apart from a Shiny new shopping centre

I agree that there will be no long term beefits to stratford residents because of the olympics.

I disagree that stratford is so dangerous you can't walk through the shopping centre at night! And why would you not get off at stratford stn?

I don't live in east london but half of my family were from there (a rougher part than stratford too!) I live in south london and lots of people would probably say all that about my area (wouldn't walk through at night etc) but its silly really. I've lived here most of my life and have never been a victim of crime.

Kids being in gangs is about a lot more than just the area they live in and their economic status. As I said I live in a south london 'shithole' I am fairly 'poor' and have 3 black sons yet none are anywhere near being in a gang.

Amberleaf - You don't live in East London...

Once you leave the safety of Stratford station area and go anywhere near high street it is actually quite an intimidating place to be. The kind of place where as a teenager my friend was mugged at knife point for their trainers...

Obviously kids in gangs is not just about economic status, but I'm sure you'll agree in poorer areas they are more present. There are gangs in Newham and they are problem. Several secondary schools have different chucking out times to avoid the clashes etc. I've known several ex students who lost their lives too young.

If anybody wanted to regenerate Newham they should have kept the Millions the stadium cost and spent it on funding things such as The Newham and Essex Beagles, an athletics club for young people which encouraged and developed the talents of Mo Farrah, Christine Ohurugu and Steve Lewis. Money could be better spent improving the lives of British people instead of this silly costly spectacle.

Amber - Didn't mean the "you don't live in east london" to come across as it looks. Just meant, maybe you haven't been in a while... Where's your family from that is worse?