Second Class London Games

A survey by online company WAYN.com (Where Are You Now?), of thousands of travellers, indicates there are widespread negative attitudes about the London 2012 Games, with potential visitors worried about terrorism and prices.

According to the poll, of the 7,500 travellers surveyed, 22 per cent had previously visited a city which has hosted the Olympics and only four per cent said the London Games would be better than other summer Olympics, with 29 per cent saying the 2012 Games would be worse.

But the survey showed that the Games would still be a major tourist attraction for London, with only 16 per cent saying they would be less likely to visit the city during the Olympics and 47 per cent saying they were more likely to come.

The survey also showed that 59 per cent say that despite the high cost of bringing the Games to London the potential benefits justify the expense, and 62 per cent believe London will provide a better visit experience for the Games than Paris, which lost the Games to London.

WAYN co-founder Jerome Touze said, “clearly there is a huge amount of interest in London’s Olympic Games and the event does have the potential to be the biggest visitor attraction ever. However, if that potential is going to be converted into serious visitor numbers, London urgently needs to address the negative perceptions and key concerns highlighted by our survey”.

He added, “it may be that attitudes have been tainted by reports about costs and cutbacks, but the risks associated with London 2012 being considered a second-class event should not be taken lightly. Meanwhile there also needs to be reassurances about containing the threat of terrorism and about containing costs, and last but not least, a major charm offensive to show the friendly face of London”.

Young ambassadors for London Olympics

ALSAGER School pupils are to play a major role in raising awareness of the 2012 Olympics.

A number of Year 11 pupils have been chosen to become Sporting Ambassadors.

Their role will be to promote a wide range of sports and raise awareness of the 2012 London Olympic Games and Paralympics.

Leading ambassador Emily Pumford has already attended a conference at Lancashire County cricket ground.

She learned about the key role of the ambassadors, that of spreading good news about the benefits of sport throughout their communities.

Emily has been joined as a Young Ambassador for Sport by Jack Sherratt, Caroline Edgely, Courtney Fumerola, Zoe Young, Eve Griffiths and Ami Priestman.

They have the responsibility of being top sporting role models among primary schools in Alsager and the surrounding area.

They will be promoting the key ideals of respect, friendship and excellence through a wide variety of sporting activities over the next few years.

“I am amazed by the passion and dedication young people are prepared to devote to helping others get involved in sport,” said Alsager School sport co-ordinator Steph Moore.

“I am proud to be associated with these pupils, and with this initiative.

“Pupils like this make my job even more enjoyable.”

London 2012 Olympic Village developer Lend Lease to ask for more time to raise funds

Australian firm Lend Lease have been trying to raise £1billion in private finance for more than a year, and the lock-down agreement with the Olympic Delivery Authority that gives them exclusive rights to the project is due to expire in the new year.

Telegraph Sport understands that Lend Lease are likely to invoke an option to extend that period to next March in the hope that they may yet secure a deal. The move comes with the Qatari development agency expressing an interest in stepping in should Lend Lease withdraw, and at least one UK-based property developer are also understood to be considering expressing interest.

The ODA have denied that they are in active talks with the Qataris.

Lend Lease agreed to put £1billion of equity and private finance into the village but the banking crisis has severely impacted on their ability to meet their commitment. The Government are resigned to contributing up to £400million of contingency funding to the project and have already forwarded £95million to Lend Lease to enable work to continue.

The ODA are hopeful that negotiations with a new partner for the social housing element of the 2,800-apartment development will ease the financial pressure on Lend Lease and enable them to remain involved.

Two housing associations are already committed to the project, East Thames Housing Group and First Base, but the ODA are in talks with a third, the Southern Housing Group, aimed at spreading the financial risk.

If the three agencies are able to put up significant funding towards the one-third of apartments that will be affordable or social housing, it will significantly improve Lend Lease’s chances of persuading their banks to deliver finance.

A deal on the village is crucial to the project’s chances of staying within the £9.3billion budget set by the Government.

Warning No More Public Money is Available for London Olympic 2012

About 100 million pounds (C$186.4 million) is being spent every month on construction for the 2012 London Olympics despite the economic downturn.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said Wednesday that about 64 per cent of the 9.325 billion-pound (C$17.4 billion) budget for the Games will come from the government and 11 per cent from London taxpayers. She said there will be no more public money available, whatever happens.

“There is no more money and, as I have said before, we are on time and on budget,” Jowell said. “The budget is identified and remains the same now as it did when I made the revised budget.”

Jowell said that hosting the Olympics is still be a positive thing for London despite the huge cost and funding difficulties during the global financial crisis.

“The Olympics is essentially economic gold at a time of economic need,” she said. “A shot in the arm for investment.”