Latest London V Paris

[Marym2]

Its now down to the last two as the other have been discounted. Let Paris have it, most Londoners I know do not want this, and most companies in Stratford will lose out (owning to the Pr""""K Livingstone). GOOD LUCK PARIS!

[Marym2]

Sorry Paris we have got to put up with it.

[Will]

Well done to London, from us in France.

Great result

[Iceni]

As someone born and brought up in the East End of London I agree with the first poster and as someone who pays French tax I also did not want Paris to get it - so the many small businesses in Stratford lose out, a real shame but hey, Becks is happy .

[naps]

Sorry, someone always loses, Paris, the people in Stratford, etc. But I'm chuffed that the UK has got it.

[Teamedup]

WOW

Truthfully I was rather taken aback that London got it, but there you go, well done London.

[Deby]

Yep, very pleased London has won it.  No doubt the Games will now be organised and non-biased!  I remember the last World cup ticket fiasco.

Deby

[Clarkkent]

The final decision of the Olympic Committee was between the two most appropriate candidates and either choice would have pleased me, but London has won.

So why are people so disparaging about this? It presents a wonderful opportunity for urban and cultural development. Please don't blame changes to Stratford on the Olympic Games - these would have been achieved by Eurostar anyway.

But what else does the decision say? Was London's bid more focused on the future and the transforming effect of the games, and Paris's too concerned with past achievements? Might this be a metaphor for the state of Britain and France.

[Will]

"Was London's bid more focused on the future and the transforming effect of the games, and Paris's too concerned with past achievements? Might this be a metaphor for the state of Britain and France"

Quite possibly. I saw a lot of complacency in the Paris bid, which some might interpret as confidence, or others as arrogance. London's looked at what could be done, and how it could be achieved rather than relying on something existing (what is here now might not be relevant to 2012 anyway). When I go to Paris, which is fairly often, I usually end up going past the Stade de France on the much-vaunted public transport system. Not, in my view, future Olympic standard - though adequate, most of the time, for present-day Parisian needs. That's just one example. London might not have the facilities at present, but it has a damned good plan for providing them.

The Londoners whom I know are overjoyed, but then I don't think any of them live in Stratford. As for being bad for small businesses there, why don't they look on it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle? Hardly fair to blame Ken Livingstone either. Although I generally have a lot of time for the man, I don't see him still being in power in 2012. No such problems with the other venues, such as Portland in Dorset where the water events will be held. They think it's marvellous news there.

[bejay]

It goes to show doesn't it. You should be very very careful what you ask for!

[Missy]

Well done London!!

Now Londoners will moan that their council tax will creep up and up.

The National Lottery Fund will be plundered to its last penny.

Maybe the London Dome will have another £400million spent on it for a complete refurb and be of use for something...

Will London transport think of a policy for a more affordable way to travel round it?...

Will all this extra building in the Stratford area of London truly be available for key workers (nurses/police/teachers) once the show has left town?...

Oh! what a cynic I am!..

[Val_2]

Glad France lost because it means we won't be paying for it. Look how poorly off Athens is now and left with white elephants to pay for and no use for them.

[Marym2]

 

Most people like myself who I know, live within a couple of miles of this proposed area. For one we have had nothing but trouble on the roads around here since the proposed M11 link road and as I back onto it I should know. They threw lots of people out of their homes and now its been open it is a nightmare. Everyday it is blocked by traffic and this spills out to all the streets around here. Many people do not want to come into London because of the £8 congestion charge and small business are rapidly failing as their lifeblood is being spilled by this greedy Mayor. The Traffic lights at Hackney Marshes change so slowly that this cause's build up, at Blackwall Tunnel cannot cope with the present traffic let alone later, what will they do, widen it like the M25 demolishing more homes they are going to cause so much disruption again (8 years of road building we experienced Hell on earth). Thats just a start! 

Will,

The small companies are losing because they are not valveing the price of what they are worth and Livingstone wants them to move out further from London, where a lot of the firms would have more problems getting into London then they already have. There are so many bad points to us who live around here they well outweigh any good points.

[Tourangelle]

I would have prefered Paris to get it for purely selfish reasons, I found the build up to the result, the reports on the bid and so on very tedious, but presumably we will go through it all again.

[Missy]

[quote]Glad France lost because it means we won't be paying for it. Look how poorly off Athens is now and left with white elephants to pay for and no use for them.[/quote]

I can't think of one city in the world that has come quids in with the Olympics.

They all have ended with a hefty bill which has been passed on to their poor inhabitants.

Now what's more annoying than les Français qui pleurnichent dans leurs soupes.

Beaten once with Barcelona! twice with Pekin!! thrice with London!!!

Alors mes compatriotes!... du cran!...

and try putting a bid for 2024 as I think for the next few rounds the Games will gravitate towards the Americas or possibly South Africa.

[josa]

I was born and brought up in Newham and live in Essex, about 30 minutes up the line (I was actually born in a Pie and Mash shop - don't get much more "East End" than that!!).

I have had and will in future have small business connections with Stratford.

I and everyone I have spoken to are very pleased with the award to London and we all think it will be fantastic for the area and the Country.

I also spend an increasing amount of time in France having a house in Limousine over the past couple of years.

One of the things I have always admired about France and the French was that not everything had to be weighed up in terms of money - feeding the soul was valued as much as feeding the body - Sculptures on roundabouts for example.

I am very surprised and disappointed with some of the comments in this thread - I sincerely hope that the "whats is worth" attitude hasn't spread to France and Francophiles!!!

Be Excited about things! - enjoy life - it's for living not drudgery all the time - Life must have parties and Blow the cost!!

[Weedon]

Its being so cheerful that keeps you lot going!

Well done the UK and put me down for tickets in the new athletic stadium if I can get my zimmer frame through the turnstile when the time comes.

weedon

[Freedom]

Well, this Londoner is really pleased with the result, as was the rest of the office when we heard the result.  A couple of us jumped straight on the tube to Trafalgar Square to join the revelries - too bad it was Mel C (sporty spice) singing on stage!  Anyway we were part of the celebrations for 15 minutes before having to get back to another boring meeting!

Its just the next stage in the major regeneration of London, and there is a lot of it about; Kings X where I work (no dodgy comments please!) is really coming on leaps and bounds, and south of the River along Woolwich Arsenal has a lot of development underway. 

London is a fantastic city - I love it!

 

 

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

Saperlipopette, I can't believe it ! This is great ! I can now look forward to many more indolent summers of sipping my ballons de blanc in Menilmuche without interruption.

[Russethouse]

I was at Hampton Court Garden Show today, we happily wandering around buying plants when a guy with a megaphone announced the news - a huge cheer went up from the crowd - people were really pleased and excited and I guess many of them were from London or south of England residents.

The atmosphere was just great.......

(the plant I was in the middle of buying when the news came through was a 'red hot poker' named Timothy, which is actually white

so that will be my 'Olympic' plant - hope it does well !!)

[Miki]

Josa said "........I am very surprised and disappointed with some of the comments in this thread - I sincerely hope that the "whats is worth" attitude hasn't spread to France and Francophiles!!!

Be Excited about things! - enjoy life - it's for living not drudgery all the time - Life must have parties and Blow the cost!!"

Bang on, with you all the way on this.

Our son rung us up at lunchtime from the UK to inform us that London's bid was succesful. He was with friends and all I could hear was singing and shouting. The excitement in the UK could really be felt over the phone.

I then told some people a couple of tables away, who I had heard speaking English and they were also over the moon. This is an incredible day and 2012 can't come quick enough for me.

It means an awful to many people. Come on, this is a once in a lifetime thing, nothing will change perhaps but life is so much about these moments. It is too easy to be glum and cynical these days, this will really put a spring in the stride for many Brits, not just in the UK but all over the world.

French upset ! well of course, only natural but they have had the Soccer World and European Cups in recent years, so being fair, it was our time.

As a footnote, the French in the resto today, shook hands with us and the boss bought out a bottle of wine for us all to toast the 2012 Olympics and them being the best ever. Let's hope this is how the Brits and the French will accept our winning bid and move on.

[Tresco]

Miki said

It is too easy to be glum and cynical these days, this will really put a spring in the stride for many Brits, not just in the UK but all over the world.

It's true, perhaps because there is plenty to be glum and cynical about, and that it's a bit of a British pastime in a way. I admit I got a thrill about this happening, and I have had an inbox full of very excited and happy emails from friends and family all over the world.

When Manchester got the Commonwealth Games a few years ago, everyone I knew was cynical about it, but as it got nearer they changed their tune, and people still look back on that event with great fondness.

I'm sorry for Paris, but really really hope England makes a fantastic job of hosting the Olympics.

[Logan]

In recent months I have had this most dreadful feeling that France as a nation is in deep trouble both politically and socially. Loosing the 2012 games is just one more nail in a very big coffin. I hate to be so pessimistic about about a country I have made my home and have loved most of my life.

The problem as I see it is that France is rather like an elderly relative or an old uncle who once had an interesting, prosperous and glorious past. Once young and vigorous he prospered despite severe set backs such as war, occupation and economic set backs and the humiliation of other relatives rescuing him from evil predators. The problem now for this relative is that the world has moved on, dynamic forces prevail and prosperity is to be found in new places. My relative is not so flexible because he believes in a social model of the previous century and has no incentive or inclination to change. The burden of this model is such a problem to him because to change it needs political courage and vision. The rest of his relatives see no reason to change because they can have a nice life from the burden he carries. My uncle does not want a fight he is old and happy to coast along towards the end of his days hoping for better times.

An upstart young sprog distantly related called Tony Blair wants to turn this comfortable moribund existence upside down and upset the whole family. He says it's for the better, for the benefit of future generations. Our beloved uncle will have none of it. He knows what was good for him is good for everyone. After all my uncle reflects what does Tony know about cooking! No, my relative will stand fast whilst all around him declines until released from the burden he can shuffle off to his chateau in the Correze safe in the knowledge that he has held the line for his  grandfather Charles de Gaulle. God bless him.

[Dick Smith]

Logan - that is the wisest thing I have read on this forum (and certainly not on the Other One) in a very long time. You have crystallised my thoughts, and I find myself agreeing with you. Thanks.

[Patf]

We are also thrilled that the games will be in London in 2012. Hoping we are still around and able to go and watch. With seven years to plan and anticipate, this should promote a cheerful positive mood in the country, which as someone said has been a bit gloomy and negative lately. I love watching athletics, as it was my best sport in my youth  - middle distance running. I think the current healthy economy in uk at the moment will be able to adapt and maybe even make a profit out of it, unlike the greek economy which was in a poor state to start with. Very exciting, especially for young people. Pat.