General Discussion

[mid3get]

So I'm near the Olympic venue the other day and I pop into the pub for a quick pint.

I walk up to the bar and ask for my pint, the barman serves me and then proceeds to ask for £5.80.

How much I say? I tell him he's having a laugh its not usually that dear,  he then says "sorry didn't know you were a local/regular yadda yadda" and then charges me the correct price.

That's just plain wrong. If I was a tourist in there buying a pint and then saw the next man get the same thing for half what I'd paid I'd be mightily annoyed.

Talk about profiteering!

[jungleboyfruit]

How much is the usual price?

[leggy1975]

The Olympics is just a pure and simple money making exercise right from Locog to local businesses

[AMG999222]

In euro currencies you would pay around €5 for a pint, they're tricking the tourists into not taking the exchange rate into account, so when they see that price, they think its reasonable.

[mid3get]

Usual price is £2.80

I know the Olympics is just a money machine (you even have local residents renting their front drives out for £7 an hour lol), But to have a 2 tier pricing structure in a single establishment is just wrong.  If I wasn't any wiser and paid the original asking price then afterwards found someone else getting it cheaper; then whether I was a local or tourist or whatever I'd be miffed and would be having a go.

[fenian]

Might as well profiteer.

Its hardly like the olympics is pulling in the tourists anyway, its all over the radio here that you will be using army to fill up the stadiums.

What other chance is the guy going to have to make a bit of money, if bus drivers and train drivers can do it, why not him.

Just so you know there wont be any increase in tourists because of the olympics. When Obama and the Queen visited Ireland they said it would be good for tourisim but it wasnt. These things are a huge waste of money.

You would get more tourists by using 9 billion to make the streets safer, and to give tourists some money off, thats the truth.

[LordRoss]

Has it helped China?

[fenian]

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LordRoss wrote:

Has it helped China?

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Seen as Bejing is now known as Greyjing I doubt it but its not the same.

Bejing and china is different, they were not seen as a tourist location before and wanted to put themselves on the map, the olympics was only a drop in the ocean of what they have spent on tourisim.

They have built whole towns for tourists, 5 star hotels, top end shopping malls, billions on restoring historical places for tourists, billions on recreational areas etc etc.

Sure Olympics put them on the map, but the huge money they are spending is keeping them there.

London and Ireland and the UK are already seen as tourist locations, people know what we have to offer and the first thing on their mind is price. We are expensive for what you get in my opninon, and 9 billion would be better spent doing stuff that china is doing now, not what china did 4 years ago.

[LordRoss]

How about Sydney and Athens?

All I know is what some commentator said the other day, that Barcelona rocketed up to top 4 destinations for tourists since the Olympics and has remained there ever since.

I have no idea if we should expect  more or less tourists.  If we don't get more does that necessarily mean it's a failure? Surely it's primary goal isn't just about tourism, it's just an added bonus.

[leggy1975]

Ah so we are talking about Legacy

When Athens didnt exactly turn out well did it. Sure any Greek athletes winning any medals will be selling them on Ebay before they go home just to feed their families