And the winner of the Olympic bid is..........................................

[MarsLady]

LONDON

gosh, on the one hand, olympics is pile of meaningless poo and people are 'appalled' that we've won the bid, on the other, only reason for being happy is that we've sh*t on the french...nice...

.... it is not just a "3 -week sporting event".

And before anyone thinks I am anti-sport etc
I am actually one of those sad people who watches the whole of olympics, the world cup, wimbledon and commonwealth. Love it!

So really I should be happy!!! Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

sophable you misunderstand I don't bemoan I support but the coverage of how wonderful for the whole of the UK is bugging me. Unlike www I don't have general issue with the concept or the monies required but the inflated view that this will benefit everyone and I REALLY can't see that at all. A child in poverty in Glasgow with drug addict parents will get nowt from this - on in the East of London may very well.

Lizzylou - maybe you can help out with your school girl french. What did it say?

A few posters have asked how it is going to benefit the people of London. When we had the Commonwealth games in 2002, the whole of the City seemed to be involved, areas were completely regenerated and although those areas still have some way to go, the impact on the city as a whole has been huge. The publicity we got was fantastic, even with the media being sceptical that we could do it and it will raise the profile of the UK as well. I don't think we would have got our Harvey Nicks and 2 Selfridges as well as the Velodrome and all the fabulous sporting facilites down at Sport City had we not got the Games. Can we try and be supportive? Isn't it great that we've actually won something - and yes we did have to pay extra for it, but that's down to the marketing team to get vast amounts of sponsorship to reduce the cost to joe public!

i'm not a sporty person either, but watch the world cup and olympics for exactly the reason that sport is the least of it really imo. would be almost as pleased if it was the world cup, and i don't even like football!

Beatie, I have no problem with pressure being put on councils to provide good sporting facilities to their citizens, none at all. I don't think individuals/group of people playing sport is a bad thing, I just think hosting the olympics is a bad thing. Bundle, sure, re public transport but actually, if it was any good in this country (and er, it isn't and has got worse since privatisation but that's also a whole other argument!)then maybe people would use it and would ditch their cars! But it isn't, it's shite!

I agree, George Bush needs to act on climate change.

bet they wouldn't have spent that money on poverty or climate change etc. No doubt it would have been chanelled into pointless task groups etc. In fact, the government wastes millions of pounds a year - fairly recently they announced that the Paddington super hospital wasn't going to be built - we had friends who were working on that bid (out of public money) for 3 years. In total it cost around £14m before they decided the costs were going to spiral and called it off.

I am very happy and excited about this - as i was wehen manchester got the Commonwelath games.

The areas of London which will directly benefit the most are currently very run-down and amongst the most disadvantaged in Europe - London isn't just the West End and it's tourist attractions. The strength of the bid, IMO, was the attention to genuine regeneration and legacy - and the country overall benefits each time a new area prospers rather than fails.

I am not a Londoner, but I live in London, and arguably, because of the wealth generated in this country through London - the financial sector, tourism etc etc, improvments to the infrastructure, such as transport, are able to maximise wealth for the country as a whole, more than improvements to a place with a more local impact.

But much as it was London't bid, it will be BRITAIN'S olympics, and for that I am really really happy.

Aye, Lucycat the impact in Manchester was huge. The impact on Newcastle - where a number of UK taxpayers also reside was what?

gomez, i see where you're coming from but don't agree that a child in glasgow won't benefit....every school will feel the impact of this winning bid, am sure there will be increased funding for sport in schools as well as for clubs that target young people in deprived areas in all parts of britain...traditionally sport has been a way out of poverty for lots of young people...really do disagree with you on this, even if the effect is only one of inspiration, that alone can have a significant impact, and i don't think that will be the only effect

Sorry my shopping arrived, can answer now.

I am not a sports lover no, but that is really not the reason that I am against this at all.

I just think that that amount of money could have done far more in much needier areas of life ie hospitals etc and then everyone would have seen the benfit.

Like i said, my kids may do stuff at school for this and I hope they enjoy it and that their school gets into the swing of things but my kids will not benefit in any way shape or form that I can see.

Where we live will not benefit at all. Better transport for London will not benefit us at all, more jobs won't benefit us at all, tourism etc etc won't benefit us at all.

What is it if it isn't just a '3 week sporting event?' Am I really missing a whole other level? Is it secretly about curing cancer?

To borrow a phrase that I believe the French (revolutionary women during the 19th Century, I think) came up with - life should be about "bread and roses". That is, yes, of course money should go on essential things, but humanity also needs the special stuff, the spectacles, the coming together, the celebrations of being part of the world. The treating ourselves as important and deserving. Otherwise, what's the point? I could have a health service that will keep me alive until I'm 120, but I wouldn't want it unless there is also a terrific piece of (probably subsidised) theatre for me to go to in my dotage, or a big silly movie on which they have spent obscene amounts of money, or an amazing art exhibition/music concert. All these things are "non-essential" but I think they are tremendously important.

But don't you think this could be the catalyst for change in lots of areas? The focus of the entire world's media is going to be on the UK from now until 2012 - how can that scrutiny fail to benefit everybody on some level?

Erm no the focus will only be on London and any other area hosting an event. Everywhere else will get forgotten.

Gomez this is what I posted about earlier I'm in Mcr and do appreciate that we paid for our benefits. but if you are from anywhere else the moment the commonwealth games ended all benefits to you as the rest of the Uk are forgotten about. I understand your reservations.

Taking that sort of logic further foxinsocks, we really shouldn't spend a penny on anything not remotely 'worthy' - i.e. no arts and culture funding, no funding to help restore and maintain historical treasures, so money for sports and recreation....?

that should be 'no' not 'so'

Cheers dyzzidi. I didn't think I felt so strongly about this TBH.

sorry hmc you've missed my point

www was saying the money could be better spent - I'm saying, I doubt it would be!

Fab posts by blu, sophable and wilbur.

agree wilbur!