London easy for tourists during Olympics

[John Bull]

Media in London say that during the first few days of the Olympics, visitor numbers at museums etc are down by a whopping 40%, & traffic in central London down by 20%, compared to normal.

A lot of workers are working from home, rather than commuting to central London.

So it looks like those whose visit to London accidentally clashes with the Olympics will have a much easier time than anticipated.

 

Apparently Athens experienced the same in 2004.

Shame that the media didn't tell us that a few months ago :rolleyes:

 

Also reported that hotel prices have been slashed by those which greedily held prices too high too long (OK, that not-very-BBC phraseology was mine :D)

Rooms which have been charged at £500-a-night at a leading West End hotel have been slashed to £100

 

British gold medals are down by 100%, but we live in hope ;)

 

JB :)

[dolittle]

John this is very common they scare everone away and even the locals stay away. There will also be a post big event letdown when it is all over there will be a lot of carping that it was not worth it and so forth ,this just human nature. Belive me I am watching in the U.S. and everone is raving about the games the coverage and the city of London. Although some did not care for the opening, almost everone I know is watching every night. It is hard to prove if the games are ''worth it'' but I think they are. My D.W.and I will be coming to your wonderfull city Sept. 30 cannot wait.

[handfordr]

John this is very common they scare everone away and even the locals stay away. There will also be a post big event letdown when it is all over there will be a lot of carping that it was not worth it and so forth ,this just human nature. Belive me I am watching in the U.S. and everone is raving about the games the coverage and the city of London. Although some did not care for the opening, almost everone I know is watching every night. It is hard to prove if the games are ''worth it'' but I think they are. My D.W.and I will be coming to your wonderfull city Sept. 30 cannot wait.

 

Most hotels are only about 50% full, (try and find one that you can't book a room tonight) most theatres are closed.

My neighbour has just booked rooms at the Ibis Euston for next week for 80 GBP, he says thats about a 20% discount to "normal" times.

 

Some of the US media comments about the opening ceremony made the news over here as it was so out of line with every other country where it seemed to get universal acclaim. Seemed a lot of right wing extremist stuff from US like that is being reported here in the last few months - the media here are just putting it down to right wing electioneering for domestic consumption.

Its a sad day that US networks censored aspects of the opening ceromony like the lesbian kissing when countries like Saudia Arabia and China had no problem.

[Cotswold Eagle]

most theatres are closed.

 

Not sure where you got that from, but it didn't seem to be the case when I walked through the West End earlier :D

[MATHA531]

Most hotels are only about 50% full, (try and find one that you can't book a room tonight) most theatres are closed.

My neighbour has just booked rooms at the Ibis Euston for next week for 80 GBP, he says thats about a 20% discount to "normal" times.

 

Some of the US media comments about the opening ceremony made the news over here as it was so out of line with every other country where it seemed to get universal acclaim. Seemed a lot of right wing extremist stuff from US like that is being reported here in the last few months - the media here are just putting it down to right wing electioneering for domestic consumption.

Its a sad day that US networks censored aspects of the opening ceromony like the lesbian kissing when countries like Saudia Arabia and China had no problem.

 

..but you have to admit...the bit with "James Bond" and the Queen was really well done including her "parachuting" into the Stadium! (She looked like she had been doing this for years.)

[dolittle]

.

 

Some of the US media comments about the opening ceremony made the news over here as it was so out of line with every other country where it seemed to get universal acclaim. Seemed a lot of right wing extremist stuff from US like that is being reported here in the last few months - the media here are just putting it down to right wing electioneering for domestic consumption.

Its a sad day that US networks censored aspects of the opening ceromony like the lesbian kissing when countries like Saudia Arabia and China had no problem.

Are you really saying that Saudia Arabia and China are more tolerant than the U.S. Is everyone who did not care for the opener a ''right wing extremist''. Maybe everone who disagress with you is. N.B.C is the most far left network in the U.S. But I glad that ever other country loved it especially Saudi Arabia and China . Hey maybe they ''got'' the big baby

[DorneyBoy]

.

 

Some of the US media comments about the opening ceremony made the news over here as it was so out of line with every other country where it seemed to get universal acclaim. Seemed a lot of right wing extremist stuff from US like that is being reported here in the last few months - the media here are just putting it down to right wing electioneering for domestic consumption.

Its a sad day that US networks censored aspects of the opening ceromony like the lesbian kissing when countries like Saudia Arabia and China had no problem.

Are you really saying that Saudia Arabia and China are more tolerant than the U.S. Is everyone who did not care for the opener a ''right wing extremist''. Maybe everone who disagress with you is. N.B.C is the most far left network in the U.S. But I glad that ever other country loved it especially Saudi Arabia and China . Hey maybe they ''got'' the big baby

 

I think all that is being picked up on is that over here in the UK the media rightly or wrongly loves to report anything that makes the US look dangerously right wing and extremist.

Poor old Romney on his visit this week was just a figure of fun here, similar to the T party before that. Things like the censorship of the opening ceromony by a US network and Hilray Clinton's recent statement that Al Jazeera's coverage of news was more informative, and less opinion-driven than American journalism and could be trusted feed into this.

 

What is deemed as being in the centre in the US is right wing in most of the rest of the world thats just a difference in culture and the media reflects this in each country.

Murdoch in the US owns Fox, in the UK they own the Times and Sun with very different political positions. Just print whatever it takes to get people to part with their money seems to be the overiding sentiment.

 

Media nowadays wherever you go seems determined to not let facts or reality get in the way of a good headline or exclusive to get your attention.

What I find most disturbing is media will not just provide you with facts and let you make your own mind up, they think we are so dumb we have to be told by a celebrity or politician what conclusion to make from something going on.

[handfordr]

This is not a forum for political debate, just making several small observations in previous post.

 

In my opinion Dolittle has the right approach.

Dorneyboy is also right. If you saw the opening ceremony yourself on TV what does it matter what celebrities and journalists under heavy commercial influence write about it.

How many times have you been to an event, read the subsequent coverage in the media and wondered if you were at the same event.

Make your own opinion up of what you actually see and be influenced by friends you trust thats all that is relevant (not a news organisation as a self appointed "voice of the people" with special interest sponsors or politically motivated owners or someone on a board like this even)

[Starlaker]

Right on hanfordf! I am so tired of the media "interpreting" the news rather than reporting it. Life and people here in the rest of the country bear no resemblence to the image portrayed. The news media seems to think that New York, Washington DC and LA are the norm. It's a big country.