Saul on Sunday
Greenwich Park Life
It was decided this week that Greenwich Park would be the venue for the Equestrian events at the 2012 London Olympics, despite a concerted effort to block it.
As Badminton is probably the world’s foremost equestrian event centre you may be forgiven for thinking it would have made sense to stage it there.
In their infinite wisdom the Olympic organising committee wanted it close to the Capital in order to have a sense of ‘closeness’, as previously the Beijing Olympics held the event in Hong Kong and the Melbourne Olympics of 1956 held it in……Stockholm! (due to Australia’s strict quarantine laws).
The London Olympics are costing a lot of money, so if an existing location close to the capital can be utilised then I suppose it makes sense. I mean what do you need to stage the equestrian event? A large cross country course, and an area to put up some fences for the horses to jump over, plus a couple of temporary stands for spectators.
Sounds great, should save loads of money………..
Estimated cost? £42 million pounds.
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1
March 28, 2010 at 19:48 -
Just think of the Roses
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2
March 28, 2010 at 21:26 -
Who’s paying for all of this?
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3
March 28, 2010 at 21:35 -
PF the effin’ British Taxpayer.
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4
March 28, 2010 at 21:38 -
The “British” taxpayer, the English taxpayer or the London taxpayer?
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5
March 28, 2010 at 22:01 -
So far as I know the payees are the British taxpayer with London council tax payers paying a bit more with the obligatory bit from anyone playing the lottery. There may be some corporate money involved as well.
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6
March 28, 2010 at 22:43 -
“So far as I know the payees are the British taxpayer [sic]“: does that mean that I’m going to get an Olympic sized cheque as I have the honour to remain, a British taxpayer from London.
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7
March 29, 2010 at 00:32 -
Even more money diverted from the good causes via the Lottery isnt life lovely under nuLabour.
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8
March 29, 2010 at 00:54 -
Life is lovely under ZaNuLabour, innit?
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9
March 29, 2010 at 07:21 -
Just can’t pry that public money- filled nosebag away from Seb Coe and his herdmates without a lot of whinneying and bucking…
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10
March 29, 2010 at 10:15 -
If your 4th paragraph was correct – shooting events would be held at Bisley.
In fact a temprorary facility (so much for sustainability) where the view is blocked by netting is being built at Woolwich at considrable extra cost…
“Go figure” as the septics say
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11
March 29, 2010 at 10:47 -
Not just Badminton ; what about Hickstead or Stoneleigh ? I suspect that, bearing numbers in mind, Hickstead would make little sense, owing to the nature of the roads leading thereto ; the others, however, perfect sense. (Shame about the Royal Show.)
Whilst the I.O.C. has officially designated London as the venue, it really is absurd that so little of the rest of the country is to take part and therefore to benefit from (1) the economic contribution of visitors and (2) any ‘legacy’ infrastructure.
Moreover : whilst I have no doubt London will break her back to ensure the transport &c. facilities be available to and adequate to the needs of the competitors, spectators and broadcasters, I cannot help thinking the whole thing would have been easier, had the burden been spread around somewhat.
ΠΞ
“… as the septics say.” — Angry, who must have been tanked at the time.
Eye theng you.
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12
March 29, 2010 at 11:59 -
I’m not at all surprised this horsey-do is costing somewhere in the region of £42m, since the pile of horsey-do0-doo that is the 2010 logo cost £400,000. It stands to reason erecting a few jumps and digging some puddles will be far more expensive than arranging two very badly-drawn numbers above two more very badly-drawn numbers. Pah.
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13
March 29, 2010 at 13:35 -
Angry of SE1 “…shooting events would be held at Bisley….”
Can’t we hold them at Westminster?
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14
March 30, 2010 at 05:09 -
@ Ted Treen
Well said, that man.
As for AnnaRacoon, I think I will be unsubscribing from this blog for her support for that oaf Old Holborn; she supported that oaf over Hogan, fair enough but as a former smoker who tolerates smokers didn’t really care, but she must distance herself as he is now attacking teenagers, the loon:
http://www.oldholborn.net/2010/03/whalehunting-in-purnell-country.html
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