| When it was announced that London had successfully | | | | created by the games. Anti-Olympians say these are |
| won its bid to host the 2012 Olympics, the nation | | | | unlikely to be filled by existing Londoners, (amongst |
| rejoiced. After all, along with the World Cup, no other | | | | whom construction skills are in scarce supply), resulting |
| sporting event brings as much pride, prestige and | | | | in a need for housing for incoming workers, which |
| investment to a country. | | | | needs to be addressed before non-housing |
| But even before the capital was proclaimed winner, | | | | construction projects are started. Moreover, several |
| there were anti-Olympic organisations springing up on | | | | thousand jobs will be displaced from the southern Lea |
| the web. No2London2012.org, HackTheBid.org and | | | | Valley, currently an important home for much-needed |
| CriticalMassLondon.org.uk all tried in vain to stop | | | | "bad-neighbour" businesses which cannot easily find |
| London from being successful in their Olympic bid. | | | | alternative sites. And finally, anti-Olympic campaigners |
| Their reasons were varied; they claimed that | | | | said that the Olympic bid had been imposed from |
| construction work associated with Olympic sites in the | | | | above without adequate public consultation about its |
| Lea Valley would destroy, or make unavailable for | | | | cost, environmental and other impacts for the city as |
| several years, a large number of existing quality | | | | whole. |
| football pitches which local people use intensively, and | | | | However, despite all this, the London bid was |
| that there was no guarantee that the new or | | | | successful, and the games must go on. The 2012 logo |
| "improved" sports facilities developed for the Olympics | | | | didn't impress everyone, but though many of the |
| would be later available to local people for free or at a | | | | protesters' complaints may have been valid, few can |
| reasonable cost. | | | | deny that hosting the Olympic Games will bring many |
| They also pointed out that the games will result in a | | | | advantages to London and the rest of the UK. The |
| cost to London council tax payers of £875 million; | | | | cash injection should certainly improve what are |
| money which Londoners need for more pressing | | | | deemed socially and economically deprived areas; and |
| priorities like schools, transport, housing, health and | | | | with thousands of spectators converging on the |
| other public services. Green arguments were also put | | | | capital, shops, restaurants and hotels in London, will |
| forth; they claimed that the Olympic sites would | | | | enjoy a massive boost in business. |
| destroy several valued wildlife areas such as Bow | | | | Like it or not, the Olympics are coming to London, so |
| Back Rivers and Bulley Point, which the public have | | | | you might as well take advantage of the world's |
| supported by conservation work over many years. | | | | biggest sporting event in your back yard - after all, it's |
| Campaigners were also unimpressed by the predicted | | | | been over half a century since it's come to British soil, |
| 7000 new jobs that the government said would be | | | | and it could be another 50 years until it comes back. |