On Mon, 13 Aug 2012 06:24:08 +0100, Robin9
wrote:


Seemingly it did go well. I avoided the whole thing like the plague
and so I am going by what being declared on the radio by various
commentators who have forgotten the difference between a journalist
and a cheer leader.

As an arch sceptic I am relieved and slightly surprised. I thought
the transport system would not be able to cope. There seems
little doubt that fewer people came than expected and this must
have helped matters. The downside which no-one is mentioning
is that as fewer people came, the financial loss will be even bigger
than feared.

Actually, I think that the 'empty streets' complaints really relate
only to the beginning of the Olympics. Once it became clear that the
warnings had been exaggerated, more normal Londoners returned. But, in
any case, the return from the Games won't be measured by retail
footfall over 17 days.

Also, the majority of the costs were spent in the UK. For example, the
construction industry was probably rather glad to have all the extra
work in an otherwise very lean period. And the British architects of
the rather splendid venues can confidently expect more foreign
commissions (including designing the Rio Olympic park).

Also, the majority of the costs were spent in the UK. For example, the
construction industry was probably rather glad to have all the extra
work in an otherwise very lean period.

While I believe 98% of contracts in the Park were let to UK firms, that
does not mean the money stayed in the UK. First, many international use
UK subsidiaries, especially when bidding for public sector work.
Second, I live, and have lived, near the Olympic Park since well before
London's winning lie in 2005 and can assure you very many workers were
not from the UK and were taking or sending money abroad.

And the British architects of
the rather splendid venues can confidently expect more foreign
commissions (including designing the Rio Olympic park).

Possibly yes - for the few buyers who want a vanity project and don't
mind about budget and over-runs. But I suggest the much greater volumes
of bread-and-butter buyers will not be interested in, for example,
copying the aquatics cent see eg the comments from Sir Robin Wales.
I suspect the velodrome might do better - if they can sort out cheaply
the leaking roof.
--
Robin
reply to address is (meant to be) valid

On Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:13:21 +0100, "Robin" wrote:

Also, the majority of the costs were spent in the UK. For example, the
construction industry was probably rather glad to have all the extra
work in an otherwise very lean period.

While I believe 98% of contracts in the Park were let to UK firms, that
does not mean the money stayed in the UK. First, many international use
UK subsidiaries, especially when bidding for public sector work.
Second, I live, and have lived, near the Olympic Park since well before
London's winning lie in 2005 and can assure you very many workers were
not from the UK and were taking or sending money abroad.

Well, I suppose that's going to be true of any building project, but
the fact remains that it's our most depressed industry and needs the
work (perhaps the Olympics work helped keep some companies afloat). It
might have been Polish builders this time round, but it would have
been Irish in the past.


And the British architects of
the rather splendid venues can confidently expect more foreign
commissions (including designing the Rio Olympic park).

Possibly yes - for the few buyers who want a vanity project and don't
mind about budget and over-runs. But I suggest the much greater volumes
of bread-and-butter buyers will not be interested in, for example,
copying the aquatics cent see eg the comments from Sir Robin Wales.
I suspect the velodrome might do better - if they can sort out cheaply
the leaking roof.

Ah, a leaking roof: the guarantee of an architectural award! And the
projects were actually ahead of schedule and within the (realistic)
budget (as opposed to the original finger-in-the-air guess).

As for the swimming pool, Zaha Hadid's firm already gets plenty of
foreign commissions, but had hitherto lacked a flagship UK project, so
this project should boost the foreign work. Well done the Welsh steel
firm that was able to construct that amazing tripod of a roof! It's
just a pity that the building had to be disfigured by the ugly winged
extensions during the Games themselves; it'll look a lot better when
reduced to its final form.

I'd also suspect that Heatherwick Studio will win rather a lot more
work after that amazing multi-petal cauldron. I'd highly recommend the
V&A exhibition of his work (which, to get back in context, includes
the NB4L):
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibit...erwick-studio/

In message , at 13:31:10 on
Mon, 13 Aug 2012, Recliner remarked:

the fact remains that it's our most depressed industry and needs the
work (perhaps the Olympics work helped keep some companies afloat).

Odd then, that the construction of Crossrail was apparently delayed
deliberately to after the Olympics, because trying to do it before would
have over-stretched the construction industry.
--
Roland Perry

On Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:16:08 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 13:31:10 on
Mon, 13 Aug 2012, Recliner remarked:

the fact remains that it's our most depressed industry and needs the
work (perhaps the Olympics work helped keep some companies afloat).

Odd then, that the construction of Crossrail was apparently delayed
deliberately to after the Olympics, because trying to do it before would
have over-stretched the construction industry.

Quite -- we need one major project at a time, not zero or two. That's
probably why HS2 is planned for after Crossrail. Incidentally, the
paucity of other work probably kept the Olympic construction costs
down and reduced the risks of strikes. But this was nevertheless a
very well-managed project, quite unlike, say, Wembley Stadium.

On Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:16:08 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 13:31:10 on
Mon, 13 Aug 2012, Recliner remarked:

the fact remains that it's our most depressed industry and needs the
work (perhaps the Olympics work helped keep some companies afloat).

Odd then, that the construction of Crossrail was apparently delayed
deliberately to after the Olympics, because trying to do it before would
have over-stretched the construction industry.

There's only so many flights from poland each day so they obviously couldn't
get enough labour. After all, you can't expect those poor hard up construction
companies to actually pay decent wages to british workers can you. Far
better to get Oleg in on minimum wage sharing a house with 5 others.

B2003