Post by Dave on Aug 4, 2012 9:01:03 GMT
There will always be people who will argue that our country could not afford the huge cost of putting on the Olympics and maybe that is the case, but how good a job have we done and what will it do for Great Britain.
For most of us in this country the Olympics is being watched on the TV and the closest we may have come to it, was being somewhere where the Olympic torch passed through. I sadly could not be in Paignton on the day it came here and that is something I regret as I so much wanted to see it.
But it has been wonderful driving around the Westcountry during my working days through towns and villages where the torch had been or was going to be coming very soon. Streets lined with flags and it was not hard to close your eyes and imagine the streets packed with people. For me it made me very proud to be British and so good to see everyone being united for a change.
What amazing venues have been built for the Olympics and one can only marvel how the whole event has been organised and run. It shows our country at its very best and should fill everyone with so much pride.
For me it has been an opportunity to watch on the TV, so many sports I might not normally ever watch or even choose too. But enjoy watching them I have as you know all the hard work and effort the competitors have put in just to be competing in the first place.
I’m not sure that football should be a part of the Olympics and I have heard in the next Olympics that Rugby sevens and golf are being added. I’m also not sure top professionals such as Andy Murray should be able to compete, as the games once was just for amateurs, but that’s just my view and maybe its an outdated one.
It has been sad to see empty seats and even more so when so many people in this country have not been able to get tickets, but at least that has been addressed and that problem is the same one you see at big football games when the second half starts as all those corporate types remain in the bars etc.
What is surprising is that we expected this country to be bursting at the seams during the Olympics, but that does not seem to be the case, maybe except for London itself. But even there we hear many streets are empty and businesses struggling and finding their takings well down.
I go to Weymouth twice a week and was expecting to encounter some delays but that has not been the case. In fact due to it being the school holidays it has taken me less time to get in an out of Weymouth. Nowhere near have the number of people have descended on Weymouth as was expected. The very large park and ride set up at Dorchester has been empty when I have driven past it. Six buses parked up and not one single car to be seen at 9am( maybe it was a bit early?) but I heard it was costing £12.50p to use it and now its being offered for free to get people to use it and go and support the events in Weymouth.
Torbay is as dead as doornails and one good indicator is the lower and higher ferries at Dartmouth. A week ago Wednesday I had to wait to get on the second lower ferry and when on the other side there was a long queue of cars waiting to use the ferry. This Wednesday just gone I drove straight onto the Ferry on the Dartmouth said and could not believe that in the first week of August, only two cars were waiting on the others aide.
As I had some theatre vouchers to use up I found myself at the Princess theatre on Monday night. I have to say it’s a sad refection on Torbay these days that we no longer put on top shows during the summer months. When I had looked to find a show I might want to go and see, the selection was poor and nothing had a must go and watch feel about them. But at least now that the ugly balloon has gone, the drive along the seafront is a more pleasant one.
The only show I thought was worth going to as it was the only big name that stood out was the Jim Davidson show. I had never seen him live before and was expecting a night of laughter and fun. I was so surprised to see the theatre only one quarter full, but then maybe others have been to one of his shows in the past and ended up saying never again.
What a washed up has been he has become and I’m so glad I never had to pay the £42 it would have cost for myself and Lyn to go and see him. We had only sat down at 7.30pm and were outside having a smoke at 8.10pm as the warm up comedian was only on for 36 minutes.
Back in our seats at 8.35pm and leaving to go home at 9.40pm, it’s no wonder the Princess Theatre was empty if that is the type and length of show that is being put on. So I won’t blame that on the fact the Olympics were on, no just simply poor over priced entertainment. All I would say to Jim is give it up mate, as that was the most boring show I have ever been to in Torbay.
I do hope all those wonderful venues in London will get good use once the Olympics are over and how I wish we had such venues down here, but then if we did would we ever fill them?
So far the games and have been trouble free and no signs of any terrorist attacks, being such a high profile event, you might have expected something to happen. But then maybe its all that was put in place has done its job and as a result these games will not go down in history for the wrong reasons.
When I heard the stories of surface to air missiles being put on top of flats in London, my first thought was that it was way over the top, but if such things really do act as a major deterrent , then just maybe it was the right thing to do.
For me it seems sad that such things even have to be considered for what is really only a major sporting event, it should be only about the best athletes competing against each other, but then this is also a refection on the times we now live in.
Will we benefit in years to come from holding the Olympics? I’m not sure I buy all the spin that we will, but as a country we can be very proud for putting on such a wonderful event and doing it so well.
I would expect there are many businesses up and down the country that can’t wait for the games to end in the hope they will once again see some paying customers, One hotel near Sidmouth that would have expected to be full this time of the year, has decided to close until the games are over, due to having no bookings.
We could also do with some decent summer weather and as I write this and look out of the window I can see its raining once again. To answer my question I used for the thread title, I think the games on the whole have been very good for G.B. and watching them on the TV has made me feel so proud to be British.
For most of us in this country the Olympics is being watched on the TV and the closest we may have come to it, was being somewhere where the Olympic torch passed through. I sadly could not be in Paignton on the day it came here and that is something I regret as I so much wanted to see it.
But it has been wonderful driving around the Westcountry during my working days through towns and villages where the torch had been or was going to be coming very soon. Streets lined with flags and it was not hard to close your eyes and imagine the streets packed with people. For me it made me very proud to be British and so good to see everyone being united for a change.
What amazing venues have been built for the Olympics and one can only marvel how the whole event has been organised and run. It shows our country at its very best and should fill everyone with so much pride.
For me it has been an opportunity to watch on the TV, so many sports I might not normally ever watch or even choose too. But enjoy watching them I have as you know all the hard work and effort the competitors have put in just to be competing in the first place.
I’m not sure that football should be a part of the Olympics and I have heard in the next Olympics that Rugby sevens and golf are being added. I’m also not sure top professionals such as Andy Murray should be able to compete, as the games once was just for amateurs, but that’s just my view and maybe its an outdated one.
It has been sad to see empty seats and even more so when so many people in this country have not been able to get tickets, but at least that has been addressed and that problem is the same one you see at big football games when the second half starts as all those corporate types remain in the bars etc.
What is surprising is that we expected this country to be bursting at the seams during the Olympics, but that does not seem to be the case, maybe except for London itself. But even there we hear many streets are empty and businesses struggling and finding their takings well down.
I go to Weymouth twice a week and was expecting to encounter some delays but that has not been the case. In fact due to it being the school holidays it has taken me less time to get in an out of Weymouth. Nowhere near have the number of people have descended on Weymouth as was expected. The very large park and ride set up at Dorchester has been empty when I have driven past it. Six buses parked up and not one single car to be seen at 9am( maybe it was a bit early?) but I heard it was costing £12.50p to use it and now its being offered for free to get people to use it and go and support the events in Weymouth.
Torbay is as dead as doornails and one good indicator is the lower and higher ferries at Dartmouth. A week ago Wednesday I had to wait to get on the second lower ferry and when on the other side there was a long queue of cars waiting to use the ferry. This Wednesday just gone I drove straight onto the Ferry on the Dartmouth said and could not believe that in the first week of August, only two cars were waiting on the others aide.
As I had some theatre vouchers to use up I found myself at the Princess theatre on Monday night. I have to say it’s a sad refection on Torbay these days that we no longer put on top shows during the summer months. When I had looked to find a show I might want to go and see, the selection was poor and nothing had a must go and watch feel about them. But at least now that the ugly balloon has gone, the drive along the seafront is a more pleasant one.
The only show I thought was worth going to as it was the only big name that stood out was the Jim Davidson show. I had never seen him live before and was expecting a night of laughter and fun. I was so surprised to see the theatre only one quarter full, but then maybe others have been to one of his shows in the past and ended up saying never again.
What a washed up has been he has become and I’m so glad I never had to pay the £42 it would have cost for myself and Lyn to go and see him. We had only sat down at 7.30pm and were outside having a smoke at 8.10pm as the warm up comedian was only on for 36 minutes.
Back in our seats at 8.35pm and leaving to go home at 9.40pm, it’s no wonder the Princess Theatre was empty if that is the type and length of show that is being put on. So I won’t blame that on the fact the Olympics were on, no just simply poor over priced entertainment. All I would say to Jim is give it up mate, as that was the most boring show I have ever been to in Torbay.
I do hope all those wonderful venues in London will get good use once the Olympics are over and how I wish we had such venues down here, but then if we did would we ever fill them?
So far the games and have been trouble free and no signs of any terrorist attacks, being such a high profile event, you might have expected something to happen. But then maybe its all that was put in place has done its job and as a result these games will not go down in history for the wrong reasons.
When I heard the stories of surface to air missiles being put on top of flats in London, my first thought was that it was way over the top, but if such things really do act as a major deterrent , then just maybe it was the right thing to do.
For me it seems sad that such things even have to be considered for what is really only a major sporting event, it should be only about the best athletes competing against each other, but then this is also a refection on the times we now live in.
Will we benefit in years to come from holding the Olympics? I’m not sure I buy all the spin that we will, but as a country we can be very proud for putting on such a wonderful event and doing it so well.
I would expect there are many businesses up and down the country that can’t wait for the games to end in the hope they will once again see some paying customers, One hotel near Sidmouth that would have expected to be full this time of the year, has decided to close until the games are over, due to having no bookings.
We could also do with some decent summer weather and as I write this and look out of the window I can see its raining once again. To answer my question I used for the thread title, I think the games on the whole have been very good for G.B. and watching them on the TV has made me feel so proud to be British.
